Treachery Among the Shifting Sands
by Keijo6
Summary: A millennium ago Southern Kalimdor witnessed a cataclysmic event. The War of the Sifting Sands was a tragedy for all those involved and doomed one of the early great civilizations to its slow death. We follow the events through the eyes of Sirexx, Ke'nir, Ra'jol and Danoxx, a team of qiraji who struggle to survive the storm and learn about their people's true place in the world.
1. Showdown on the Brown Mesa

Showdown on the Brown Mesa

A distant hyena's growl echoed through the vast desert valley of the Thousand Needles. The moon was hovering high over the numerous mesas covering much of the area, casting its pale light over land. The night had fallen a few hours ago and the world was largely peaceful. However, the night wasn't entirely calm: a lone figure climbing one of the mesas created a ripple in the pool of tranquility.

"Just a few more meters left", hissed Sirexx, climbing the western side of the Brown Mesa, home of the tauren Spirithoof clan. The mountain lied in the central Thousand Needles, towering over most of the other nearby mesas. Sirexx's caste, the Unseen, didn't really have hard time climbing walls due to their powerful limbs and somewhat small weight. However, possible sentries had to be avoided at all costs, at least for now. Sirexx looked over mesa rim and noticed no taurens nearby. In the distance, however other forms began appearing over the mesa edges that caught his eye.

" _As expected, Ke'nir and Danoxx are also on time, nice, this mission goes like we planned. Now, to finding the shaman's tent…."_

Sirexx faded into the shadows formed on the edges of the tauren camp, noticing a few guards here and there. Also, some of the tents were larger and more decorated than the others, supposedly reserved for the higher-ranking members of the tribe.

" _Our target must lie within one of them… but bypassing the guards is not going to be pretty. Ra'jol should also be in the top by now, hopefully none of the others blunder this."_

The camp was quite large and there weren't that many places to hide. If the qiraji wanted to have the initiative, they would have to act quickly. Meanwhile, Sirexx had sneaked close to the first tent.

" _Danoxx seems ready to begin the action. Well, here goes… good luck everyone."_

With that, Sirexx began creeping towards a guard. The qiraji closed the distance quickly and used his chela to break the tauren's neck with ease and silence. Sirexx took the corpse to the edge and threw it down to the surrounding desert.

" _These taurens are slower than novice gladiators! Pathetic, no wonder they have to resort to shamanism instead of raw force. Well, now begins the hard part."_

Usually, shamans could have felt their comrade's death through the elements but the qiraji, because of their Creator-given powers, could manipulate elements to some degree, in this occasion to quell the effects of the assassination. Sirexx cut a hole to the large tent to see whether it was the hiding place of the Spirithoof clan's secret arts in shamanism. He was disappointed: the tent was some kind of general store and the goods seemed to be quite second rate too.

" _Well, not here. The deeper to the camp we go the more taurens we'll face. Are we really going to need help?"_

Sirexx was determined to use that help only in serious problems due to its unpredictability and possible spreading of the word of the qirajis' allies. He really hoped this wouldn't require the silithid.

High shaman Orith Windtotem was awake reflecting his tribe's recent developments. He had recently begun training a new generation of shamans, threats from centaur tribes were dealt with and relations with other tauren tribes had improved. The Spirithoof had even made some allies. Orith was quite proud to be living such a time, let alone heading it. Orith decided to observe his village before sleep. He stopped at a cliff, admiring the nightly desert and mountains.

" _It is times like these that make me realize my luck of finding a friend in villagers and guiding them forward. Sometimes I wonder the wisdom of being a leader but times like these know this is what I have to be."_

Returning to his tent, he noticed that the village streets were empty. There were supposed to be about a dozen guards but now there weren't. It was at that moment that he felt pressure around his neck and a sibilant and low voice asking: "I'll make this quick, High Shaman." Quickly the attacker turned Orith over and tried to break his neck. The tauren stared at the attacker in shock. He was looking at an insect-like creature with massive jaws and antenna. Orith managed to repel the chela by creating a line of stones around his neck.

* * *

 _Shamans can do that!? I shouldn't have expected less from this tauren. He certainly seems quite powerful. This isn't going to be easy._

"A good move, I must say. It could have been over already but… It can't be helped. ", Sirexx asked.

Orith was speechless. "Wha. why.. who, what you even are… what have you done?"

"I'm sorry but I can't tell much. Let's just say that we are after something. What do you say if you just give it and we'll take our leave?"

"What is it?" Orith didn't even consider the offer but wished to know what could possibly interest a giant bug.

"We know that you are a shaman clan and that you have done new unique research and possibly even new spells. Those are what we're after."

" _This.. creature.. killed all my guards and now it expexts us to hand them the only heirlooms why we're still a free and respected tribe?. This negotiation is over."_

CRASH!

A huge lightning bolt would have went right though Sirexx if he hadn't expected such an outburst. Sirexx tried to approach Orith but the tauren's magic was too powerful. Each time he approached the tauren, severe lightning struck ever closer to him.

" _He sure knows how to keep me at bay. Hopefully someone has the time to back me up."_

Sirexx backed off a little and took a bright blue crystal from his pocket. He held it below his chin and felt it resonate with his companions' counterparts. Soon they responded. However, the fighting wasn't unnoticed by the villagers. An increasing amount of tauren took up the arms and joined the battle. To counter this, Danoxx and Ra'jol stayed farther away trying to buy Sirexx and Ke'nir the time they needed to beat the High shaman.

"Couldn't finish him by yourself, Sirexx?"

"Well, he _is_ the leader after all, I'd say it wasn't all that embarrassing to call for help."

Ke'nir merely nodded. The tauren was clearly an adept shaman so how should he be handled? Melee combat was out of question as was any direct ranged battle.

" _Hmm, this became troublesome. Let's hope wasps can get some work done."_

Ke'nir used again his crystal but this time he shook it. Sirexx simply noted at the act.

" _It did come to this. I admit that beating the shaman by ourselves would be too hard but an all-out silithid attack will create too much attention among tauren tribes. But we've got no choice, I guess."_

* * *

" _I should be able to keep them at bay but I don't believe I can win. What next?"_

When Orith saw Ke'nir use the crystal, he felt that the endgame was quickly approaching. Not soon after, he could hear a strong buzz behind him. The tauren turned to see the source of the noise.

" _Giant wasps?! These bastards can command other insects?_ _I'm most likely done for but saving the village is my first duty_. _Now, let's see if the Nightwind clan is a worthy ally."_

"This is the last time any of your cursed race cross with my clan!"

And Orith unleashed a great fire to the night sky.

* * *

Danoxx and Ra'jol could feel the heat from the immense fire pillar. They had their ideas about the reason but they could come to the conclusion that it complicated the mission.

"That firewall can't be good." notified Ra'jol.

"Very good thinking, Ra'jol. We probably should rush to finish the mission before the shaman does something crazy, even if it opens our rear to these bulls."

* * *

"Ke'nir, let's keep this guy busy. The wasps will take care of the rest."

The two qiraji suddenly charged Orith with new fury. Orith knew that he couldn't survive with the wasps behind him. He was buying time for the Nighttotem clan's arrival and hoping that they could at least save his village and slay the murderous insects. First Sirexx charged and dodged Orith's attacks. He was just about to give the killing blow when he felt a cold embrace in his abdomen.

" _Damn, how could I not dodge that frost shock?! Ke'nir, finish this!"_

Ke'nir managed to hit Orith in the chest, downing the tauren. Orith launched a lightning bolt, hitting Ke'nir in the shoulder. However, he too felt something, a massive sting in his back. He looked around and saw a wasp flying away from him.

" _This is it, the poison is already spreading. However, I'm not done yet."_

Orith tried to rise to his feet but he was already far too weak to succeed. At least one of them was injured and close to him. Sirexx would be the one to pay for this night. He got ready to impale the qiraji with his staff but never succeeded.

"I'm sorry but this is the end for you."

Danoxx dodged Orith's attack. The shaman tried to cast a lightning bolt but he was already far too weak for that. All that was was left for Orith were few seconds of desperation and a sound of his neck breaking. Orith was gone.

"Sirexx, Ke'nir, what's your condition?" asked Danoxx.

"I'll survive but my fights are done for now, Ke'nir's situation is worse but he should recover, given a little time".

"Sirexx, find our target, and we shall keep those out of your way", pointing at the approaching crowd. Hurry!"

Sirexx simply nodded and limped towards the shaman's tent. It was quite large and clearly showed its resident's occupation: political documents, shamanic scrolls and various items related to them. Orith had been quite realistic about his spare time: hence there was only a table and bed as his furniture.

"How am I supposed to find anything here in time?!" Sirexx hissed amid frustration and pain. His injury wasn't life-threatening but it made his search anguished. Sirexx began to browse the shaman scrolls but while rare, they weren't unique to the Spirithoof. The fact that the mission and the lives of his comrades hung in the balance made Sirexx extremely nervous.

"Only trash! Of course that moron had to hide them somewhere!"

Sirexx began to tear the room apart, looking some clues where the spells would be. After a minute, he found some documents concerning spells he hadn't known of before.

"These must be them! Now, let's get out of here!"

Sirexx had been too concentrated at searching that he hadn't heard that the fighting had intensified. The Nightwind clan was arriving soon.

"Sirexx, you better have the scrolls or we're done for!" Danoxx demanded.

"I do, Danoxx."

Danoxx turned to the others and shouted "We have the scrolls, now MOVE!"

Ke'nir needed help with walking and he slowed the qirajis' escape. However, if by any means possible, a qiraji should always strive for the survival of all squad members. The plan had been to steal the scrolls quietly and return the way they came. Now however, Danoxx realized that only a quick escape could work.

"Let's get to the elevator, the silithid will protect the mechanism! Hopefully their reinforcements linger for just a while longer!"

The elevator wasn't far away but neither were the Nightwind: they started appearing from the distance below. The qiraji started their descent to the ground and the silithid did as Danoxx told they would. The quartet had managed to evacuate the mesa. But the Nighttotems were still a threat. However, that threat could be handled with ease.

" _I'll look forward what these guys are going to do now: time to introduce a colossus! With any luck we should be able to vanish during the chaos."_

Now, a giant form began to appear under the Nightwind group. It was a silithid colossus, massive, powerful and fast beetle-resembling horror: a perfect killing machine. Merely its appearance broke the taurens' spirit and the group splintered. In the middle of the chaos, the lift reached the ground.

"Wasn't that pretty heroic?"

"Don't be too hard on them, I wouldn't want to fight our friend either", Sirexx replied to Ra'jol's sarcastic remark.

"Continue your chat only when we reach the Grimtotem camp, now please shut up", ordered Danoxx.

With the Nightwind group in total chaos, the qiraji used the time join the many dark forms of the night.


	2. Disturbing Signs

Disturbing Signs

Sirexx, Ra'jol, Ke'nir and Danoxx had completed their mission: they had retrieved Spirithoof clan's secrets. Now all that was left was to return the scrolls to a qiraji outpost, where they would be sent to their home, the city of Ahn'Qiraj. It was far away from the Brown Mesa, in the distant southern end of the desert of Silithus. The city ruled over a vast empire in the southern Kalimdor but the secretiveness and isolation of the qiraji had kept it practically unknown to outsiders. The first destination for the group was a camp of the Grimtotem clan, an ally of Ahn'Qiraj, in the southern mouth of the valley of the Thousand Needles.

Rest was very welcome for Sirexx. His injury had taken its toll for the qiraji in the form of exhaustion. Even though his kind usually avoided forging alliances, the Grimtotems were a useful ally among taurens. Likewise, the Grimtotem hated the other tauren tribes enough to ally itself with an unknown yet potentially helpful race.

"Awkward that this place is just like the camp we just destroyed."

"Doesn't every tauren camp looks the same?" came Raj'ol's response to the brown qiraji's remark.

"Mostly, but the similarity between this tribe and the Spirithoof is even haunting." replied Sirexx.

"Relax, just a coincidence."

The Grimtotem provided their guests a small tent to sleep in. They had little experience about outsiders, especially other races, so contact between the qiraji and the tauren was minimal and brief. It consisted of having some guards assigned to watch over the qiraji at the gate and their silent presence afterwards.

The morning began in similar fashion. Sirexx and Ke'nir's injuries had healed enough to continue the journey to the lands of the qiraji. The Grimtotem were only too happy to get rid of their guests and provided them with minimal supplies: some water and kodo meat. Outside the Grimtotem camp opened a way to the pass separating Thousand Needles from Tanaris. Their destination would be the Prophet's promise, a small qiraji outpost in the west of Tanaris desert. It was named in glory of prophet Skeram, the spiritual leader of Ahn'Qiraj and his prophecies about the god of the qiraji. Their creator's name was reserved only to Skeram and the twin emperors of Ahn'Qiraj.

In fact, average qiraji knew very little about their god, other that their whole society was centered on his future awakening and return to taking his place as God, with the qiraji as the master race. Their creator was supposed to sleep deep within the Grand temple of Ahn'Qiraj but the temple was outright forbidden to everyone but select few. Additionally, the supposed creation of the qiraji was many millennia ago and only few living qiraji have lived even close to those distant times. As a result, the qiraji had little knowledge about their god and understood little of their society's founding pillars. Still, the Prophet and the Emperors were highly exalted and no one questioned their system.

Sirexx, Ke'nir, Ra'jol and Danoxx were no exception and had little interest in such things. Like most qiraji, the group was mostly interested in living their own lives and their leaders provided most of their needs as long as they served their state well. This usually meant completing missions, such as their current one. The qiraji had an extensive amount of outposts and allies to easily move through southern Kalimdor. Prophet's promise and Grimtotems were some of them.

"At last we got out of that furnace!", remarked Ke'nir.

"Tanaris isn't actually a paradise either, but at least here's more wind.", replied Danoxx.

"You never get used to this pleasant warm climate, eh?, grinned Ra'jol to the gray qiraji.

"Not really, and I doubt you do either, Ra'jol. Luckily, we should reach Promise in about three hours and sun's barely rising."

In a few hours Danoxx's group had covered good distance and the qiraji settlement wasn't far away. They had However, something caught Ke'nir's attention.

"What's that", he said pointing to the north.

"Trolls, maybe?" proposed Sirexx.

"Does their movement look like trolls to you?" mocked Ra'jol.

"Not really, but what other bipeds are here? They're certainly not our kind."

Danoxx sent some smaller wasps to take a look. They circled around them for a moment and told the news to Danoxx.

"Interesting, they sound like those ruin dwellers in Feralas but why would they be here? Were they called dark elves or…?"

Sirexx replied to their leader: "Night elves I think, but you're right. They have no business here. Where are they going?"

"Are …. they heading for the Promise?" asked Ke'nir.

"Impossible, no outsider knows it and even if they did they wouldn't go there with only a few people. It's suicide."

"Let's go further and let the wasps follow them."

* * *

Arsalos Crowecho was getting tired of jogging in the desert. He and his group had wandered days in Tanaris trying to find some clues about the supposed bug colony. This morning they finally got lucky and found that the silithid, which they until recently believed to be ordinary if dangerous animals, were often seen heading towards certain terminus. The Night Elves had followed their trail for hours without a trace of the mysterious enemy the High Priestess had sent them to investigate. The Night Elf group thought they were alone but when they reached a slight depression among the dunes, their leader started to feel something was wrong.

"We're being followed. See those wasps? They've followed us for a while now." announced Aronde Deerhill.

* * *

"Promise, it is. They're nearly there and still approaching. I'll alert the guards." noted Danoxx, sending some wasps to Promise.

"Let's capture one of them, we should learn how they knew the location." Sirexx answered.

"The elves' speed has slowed down. Are they spying Promise?" asked Ra'jol.

"And why? It's not like we're heading for war, is it?" pondered Ke'nir.

"Maybe there's been new developments we're unaware of. I think we need to handle the spies".

Sirexx frowned to Ra'jol's comment "Is that wise? They're not really our enemies, should we make them one?"

"How would you handle them? Let them get away with this?", asked the bigger squad member.

"We'll surprise them and question why they're here" concluded Danoxx.

* * *

Ke'nir summoned some silithid drones to attract the night elves' attention. Meanwhile, the qiraji approached the group silently. The drones weren't a real threat to the elves but they distracted them from Danoxx's group… for a while.

* * *

"What are they doing?! These bugs are barely even attacking!" shouted Arsalos.

"Could it be… that these creatures aren't actually trying to kill us? What do they want?"

"We know they're related to those qirajis were looking for… are they trying to keep us away from their hive?"

Alonde had another idea: "They could be just decoys! On your guard!"Alonde turned around to check their surroundings…

…and saw a fast approaching qiraji in front of her.

* * *

 _A shame they noticed us but too late. They won't have enough time to react._

Ra'jol hit his chela right into Alonde's sword breaking it. This stunned the night elf for a moment but she managed to dodge the huge qiraji's attack.

Alonde took a quick look around her and saw that her squad was getting crushed. The Promise's garrison had arrived and dozens of qirajis had easy time fighting four intruders. Most of her group were still standing but not for long at this rate. She gave the only possible command.

"Retreat!"

The Night Elves were faster than qiraji, even the Unseen and that made their escape possible. However, Arsalos had gotten his leg broken in the fight and was unable to even stand. He had already resigned to his fate.

"The Night Elves aren't going to escape Tanaris with the silithid alerted to their presence. Now the desert itself is after them. Thank you for the alert, Danoxx."

"It was my responsibility. No outsider must see the Promise, Nitlosh. Including that crippled one," Danoxx nodded towards Arsalos.

"He'll be interrogated outside. He's the first elf we've captured."

"There have been others?"

"Third group thus far in a week."

Danoxx sighed. No one had tried to attack the qiraji before. Since time immemorial the qiraji had lived quite peacefully in the deserts and forests of southern Kalimdor, with only minor clashes and raids with outsiders like their recent clash with the Spirithoofs.

" _Are they preparing for war? We've had minimal contact with elves and now they're infiltrating our lands. Let's hope they'll come to their senses before long. And what am I even afraid of? They would have no chance against us and our divine-granted powers."_

* * *

Not soon after, Danoxx's group reached the seat of qiraji power in Tanaris. After a long trek in the sands they witnessed the familiar sight of monolithic structures, high obelisks and silithid hives nearby. Prophet's Promise was but a small outpost but it still contained the design of any qiraji settlement. The Promise was located in the middle of the desert, far from anything, in order to secure its secrecy. It served as the forward base for squads operating in Tanaris or Thousand Needles, in extreme cases even further north. Additionally, it also provided also rest and ways to pass the spare time.

Danoxx's group's task was to send the Spirithoof scrolls forward to Ahn'Qiraj. It was wasps' duty to maintain swift communication between the qiraji towns and deliver the spoils of raids forward. They were sent from the military headquarters of the town.

* * *

"So, the mission was successful?"

"Yes, Sa'rol, we've got the scrolls." said Danoxx while giving the scrolls to the Prophet-caste qiraji. They were high-ranking administrators, directly under Skeram's command and the overseers of the enforcement of the god's will.

"Very good, Danoxx. Your group's had a decent success rate lately. Much better than some others here. Has the creator reached his favor to you?"

"Cannot say so, I'm afraid, though we still revere his name with our success. How about our reward?"

"Is there someone you'd like to point out? Does someone deserve more or less than normal?"

"No. We worked equally as much."

"So, 50 _ishns_ each."

"Thank you. Inform when you've got a mission for us."

"Will do. One more thing: Skeram himself announced this yesterday: the creator's awakening is near. His essence grows stronger by the day. Be ready when the time comes."

All the qirajis' eyes widened at these news.

" _Not the first time he's said something like this. But who knows? Maybe he's right. I just hope he's everything we're told."_ thought Sirexx.

" _Finally! Perhaps soon we'll get to spread the qiraji dominance and god's will across Kalimdor."_ smiled Ra'jol.

" _We've waited for this for millennia. Hope it's worth it,_ was Ke'nir's reaction

" _Well, it could be years without end before that happens. We'll see."_ pondered Danoxx

"Skeram himself? If that's true…"

Sa'rol raised his voice "If? You don't trust the Prophet? You know, I could kill you for that."

"I'm sorry, I meant the timing. Soon could be a long time…"

"Never question Skeram. Do this one more time and you know what happens…"

"I do. Serve the creator well."

* * *

"Well done everyone. You know what follows. You're free until the next task. Dismissed" Danoxx said to his squad outside. The group nodded and went their separate ways.


	3. The Mists Behind

The Mists Behind

Sirexx was happy to be back in the closest place he could call home while away from Ahn'Qiraj. It was only a small room on the edges of Prophet's Promise but he had lived there for a long time and had learned to really like it. Though he didn't spend too much time in it, it contained everything he needed: a bed, a table and some memorials from his past missions. It was his home while on missions in Eastern territories.

And Sirexx had lived there for a long time. Sirexx had been stationed there for five years, mainly because he found that he was more resistant to the heat than many others. Other factor was that he had had plethora of mistakes leading from misunderstandings with his former teammates.

For a while they could complete their missions with varying success with minor problems. Sirexx's teammates were close friends and loyal to their comrades. However, Sirexx had hard time approaching the others due to them having known each other since long ago. Even though they had no problems with Sirexx, he felt left out. Then it happened one mission that the short qiraji's team leader gave Sirexx ambiguous orders which he interpreted wrong. The result was the fateful failure in which two of Sirexx's comrades met their end. Those memories were painful to the qiraji but he wasn't punished because he wasn't really responsible as he wasn't the now-deceased leader. Nevertheless, he was commanded to change squad and he was relocated to Prophet's Promise.

Initially, the brown qiraji was depressed because of his past and had difficulties returning to normal life. He pretty much just completed his normal chores but otherwise mostly bashed in his self-guilt. Not long after his arrival, he was appointed to a new squad. He found out that his new comrades were much more suitable for him and teamwork worked better. Even though he truly couldn't, with the possible exception of Ke'nir, call them friends, Sirexx very much respected and had taken a liking to his teammates.

After an eventful day such as this one, Sirexx could only appreciate his luck becoming a member of Danoxx's squad. Their leader deserved the most praise for their success, as his decisions and planning were a recipe for swift victories. As for his companions, Ra'jol was usually quite good company and a fierce fighter. Ke'nir on the other hand, was very different from Ra'jol, calculative, intelligent but physically less powerful than the others. Still he was the one Sirexx appreciated most. He enjoyed his company, advice and cordial mood.

Although Sirexx had had his share of sorrow and guilt, he really couldn't he had major regrets in his life. Good group and lack of major problems were more than most qiraji could ask for. Sirexx didn't hope for any change in his current life.

With thoughts much like these Sirexx slowly fell to sleep.

* * *

Sirexx felt great joy. Even though he couldn't tell why, the moment every qiraji who ever lived was waiting for. He could feel the Temple trembling. Storms gathering across Silithus. Sweet whispers of power and glory coursing through his mind. Without a doubt, the God had awakened.

First Sirexx believed to see his creator's might bringing Ahn'Qiraj great power and wealth. However, what he saw was every qiraji being sent to war against all Kalimdor with powerful but wrong-feeling blessing from their God. The city itself was the epicenter of a monumental and unnatural storm.

" _What is this?_ _What's happening? Why we're doing this? Well, if we win, I guess it'll be worth it."_

Indeed the qiraji scored major victories against other races but nothing about the war seemed like the utopia he had believed. Everywhere was death, destruction and elemental storms. What surprised Sirexx the most was how the qiraji behaved. They seemed mindless and unconscious of the events surrounding them.

" _This is an abomination! We would never do this and neither would our Creator!"_

The qiraji advance continued. They went into deepest of caverns, bottom of the Great sea and unknown green voids. For reasons he couldn't understand, the storms became worse, the earth shattered and the sea began to pour into Kalimdor and unknown continents. Finally Sirexx saw Ahn'Qiraj and their people in ruin. They were reduced to mindless slaves, their leaders to cruel despots and everything Sirexx believed his race was, along with their world, lied in ruins.

" _This isn't real! It can't be!"_

* * *

Sirexx woke up, horrified and breathing heavily.

" _What the fuck was that?_ _Seems like just a dream… but I saw things I didn't know. Did I make all that up? Well, luckily dreams are just dreams. They have nothing to do with reality. Still I wonder, why was it so lifelike? I know the Creator's not like that."_

* * *

The mornings of western Tanaris were some of the most pleasant times of day. Temperature was pretty mild and the winds were blowing from Un'goro, bringing at least some humidity with it. The qiraji who were not on a mission awakened to a new, most likely pleasant day.

Even though Sirexx was still anxious about his nightmare, he wouldn't get himself in trouble with the prophet caste for doubting their God or otherwise ridiculed for worrying about a dream. He didn't even believe it himself, so why bother?

Promise was awakening quickly. The guards had been on alert all night but otherwise nights were silent. Even though Promise was essentially a military outpost, it contained some ways to spend spare time. Some of Sirexx's favorites were playing Me'lesh, reading and sometimes doing solo missions for extra ishns.

Now he felt like doing the first. Me'lesh was a popular board game, which required players to find a way through a scarab-resembling board to its head. Though seasoned players could use their knowledge of the game to their advantage, it was seemingly a luck-based game, perfect for gambling. Opponents were not hard to find as there was a big playing hall in Promise.

The gaming hall wasn't too full. Sirexx sat down next to a red gladiator- caste qiraji and the game started. Sirexx had a pretty bad start: the scarab-headed spinner gave him a bad number. As the game progressed however, Sirexx began to catch up, using some less-used routes to reach the snake-shaped goal, perhaps with more luck but quicker nonetheless. In the end, the Unseen was victorious. The gladiator acknowledged his defeat and paid the stake with his wrist armor.

" _This game is so skill-based, heh. Well, who's the next victim? Isn't that old good Idh'lash?"_

Sirexx noticed a familiar form sitting a few boards away. Idh'lash was one of his favorite Me'lesh opponents and closest friends. He and Idh'lash had met in their youth, when they were still just beginning their studies to become true Unseen. Though they were seldom appointed even to same outposts, when they were, the two old friends could play and chat for hours on end. Sirexx hadn't seen him since his long-term mission in Feralas. Sirexx took a seat in his board.

"Hey there. How long has it been? Three months?"

"Sirexx? Nice to see you again. I'd say it's been four already. How have you been?"

"Quite well, nothing special. I think such a long term trip as yours was more interesting."

"Too much even. My job was to spy Eldre'Thalas, the elf stronghold in Feralas. If you ask me, they're up to something. Some of the elves were disappearing and the elements felt troubled. As if some unnatural and concerning powers are gathering there."

"Doesn't sound good. We've had our share of elves here but they didn't feel to have any special powers."

"Feralas elves are different. They call themselves Shen'dralar and they have traditionally been largely independent of Hyjal. Lately, interaction between them has been growing too."

"Teldrassil?"

"Oh, sorry, I don't remember how little I too knew of the elves until the mission. A city somewhere around Hyjal called Vordanaar is their capital, far to the north, beyond the plains and forests to the north. They have a great empire there."

"Bigger than ours?"

"Don't really know. But if something happens, it won't be pretty."

"Let's not think about that. There's time for that later. I noticed you were waiting for company. Let's see if you've forgotten how to play."

"One last thing. I'm sorry but the last of your former teammates, O'rel was recently killed in Desolace.

"How? When?"

"While in a raid to Magram clan. From what I heard, he was simply ambushed in the early stages of the mission. I'm sorry, Sirexx."

Sirexx was saddened but not really crushed by the news. He wasn't that close to his former teammates but since their common failures, Sirexx had only felt shame and anger with himself whenever reminded of them. Now that all of them were gone, he felt that a certain chapter of his life was truly over. The brown qiraji, even though he would never admit it even to himself, was somewhat relieved to know that no one knew what had happened on their last common mission.

Sirexx answered grimly "May he find his place on the Creator's side. Thank you for telling me."

"Of course. Now, let's play, if you still wish."

Even though the news weren't exactly crushing for Sirexx, he was lost in thought. Could he just ignore the death of his former companion, especially after bringing so much pain to him? His former group had been very close to each other, expect for Sirexx. They had held great grudge against Sirexx afterwards but due to his reassignment, no actual violence had followed.

 _I guess I should pay him and the others some respect… after all, I am their last living comrade._

Even though the qiraji had no formal code of showing respect to the dead, confessing one's feelings to the Creator was certainly a respected way. Even though his nightmare had scared him badly, Sirexx had accepted the fact that a dream was just a dream. The Creator couldn't possibly bring the apocalypse. It was against everything he was taught in his life and no nightmare could convince him otherwise.

The Great Temple was the only place worthy of being called with the name but Promise had a small shrine wing in the central building. The interior was decorated with stories of the Creator's victory over the alien invaders called the Titans, His defeat and the great purpose of Sirexx's kind. At the end of the room was a small table with the holy symbol of the qiraji, a scarab.

"I'm extremely ashamed for calling out to You, but I'd like to pay my respects to my deceased comrades. I know their demise was mostly my fault and I'd wish to make peace with them when I too, am gone. However, meanwhile I hope to honor their memory with bringing this matter to Your consciousness."

Sirexx did not really expect any answer, as no ordinary qiraji was deemed worthy of a "real" audience with God. The most Sirexx's caste could hope was to live in the hope that their Creator heard them. That was the case this time also. Only silence and the dim candle light greeted the qiraji's words. Sirexx stared at the shady wall in front of him for a while before he rose from the floor and left the shrine. Even if God was silent, Sirexx was sure He guided his comrades towards green and peaceful lands.


	4. The Hidden and the Declined

The Hidden and the Declined

Ever since the founding of Prophet's Promise some 70 years ago, only one thing brought the prophets concern about their position. To the east, among the coastal mountains could be sensed a great but unknown power. Even though it was completely alien to even the Emperors themselves it brought an eerie feeling to them. As if something from their very heritage warned that the threat was real. The mountains had been investigated countless times but always some strange thing hampered it: either the investigators disappeared or abandoned their mission. Even the most adept qiraji sorcerers couldn't even locate the source and after a while, the qiraji decided to simply abandon the mountains and hope nothing would go wrong.

The Night Elves however, had their theories concerning the mountains. In the colossal war many millennia ago, called the War of the Ancients, the victory was secured with the help of the five dragonflights. Two of them were practically obliterated and the three others seemingly vanished from the face of Azeroth. No one really knew why or where but some ancient Kaldorei sources suggested they were still somewhere, hidden from the lesser races.

Archdruid Fandral and the other high command of Vordanaar were concerned. The insectoid race, the qiraji, were becoming far too powerful for the balance of power in Kalimdor. Even though the Kaldorei were usually peaceful in nature, the rising qiraji empire had made them nervous. Even though the two races had obviously had no interaction with each other, they had heard of their raids on the tauren and the centaurs. Simple bandits didn't interest the Night Elves, but something felt wrong.

First, where had this highly advanced race come from? They had made their presence known not so long ago and even then, they used weapons and tactics unknown for simple savages. They had to have a highly advanced civilization, hidden away from outsiders.

Second, they showed little disregard for other races. They robbed and killed them without remorse, yet they didn't take their lands or enslave them. What was the reason for their atrocities?

Thirdly and most disturbingly, the nature itself feared their presence. Through the Emerald Dream, the druids could feel them bringing terrifying, chaotic but distant memories to the nature surrounding them. The memories weren't the qirajis' doing but they resonated them weakly, yet noticeably.

Fandral had discussed this with his assistants and the High Priestess herself and they had opted for caution. The qiraji did not threaten the Kaldorei, yet, so attacking them wasn't an option. However, Fandral wasn't planning on standing by.

"You called, Shan'do Staghelm?"

"I did, Naralex. I have an important task I ask of you. You may know of the insectoid threat from the south?

"Relatively well. What about them? The Kaldorei haven't cared much from other races' mischief. Though I must admit I've been feeling a slight uneasiness about them."

"As should any druid. I don't know yet why but the threat is real. Though war is not inevitable, we must prepare for it."

"War? We've been in peace for nine millennia. Are the qiraji really that dangerous?"

"I'm afraid even more. We don't know their true nature and that's what concerns me. While our groups are investigating them, I'd like to secure our safety. That's where you come in."

"You're talking about getting possible allies? But there is now no one more powerful than the Night Elves."

"No one active. Can't you come up with anyone more powerful than us?"

"Active? Since when … You can't possible mean… someone from the War of the Ancients? Demigods?"

"They won't answer anyone's call outside their domain. I'm talking about the three remaining dragonflights. You see, we have possibly found one's location, though we cannot tell which ones'."

"So I should approach them in the Emerald Dream and try to get their attention?"

"Correct, Naralex. Convince them to join our cause once again. Our ancient alliance saved us once, and possibly it will again. Do this and the possible qiraji threat is done for."

"I will do my best Shan'do. Ande-thoras ethil."

* * *

Though the taverns in Promise weren't many, some of them had established themselves among the local garrison. Scorpid and Pint was one them. Situated near the northern entrance, it was well placed to serve most of the outpost's populace. Though not exactly glamorous, it was certainly cozy and slightly cheaper than the others. These traits made it appealing to Sirexx and it was probably his favorite place to refresh his strength. This morning he decided to visit it with Ke'nir.

Ke'nir was very pleased with himself. He had completed a demanding solo mission and earned some respect and ishns. He had defeated a powerful basilisk and its herd which could have threatened Promise's safety. Ishns were used to buy things but they weren't actually currency. They were a sort of cheques, a certificate of the worth of your deeds. Ishns were directly given to _you_ so they could not be loaned, given or gambled. They were a notion of how much Ahn'Qiraj appreciated your work and how much goods you deserved.

Not that honor and glory were the main motivators. Even in Promise you wouldn't have a difficult time wasting your hard earned reward. The qiraji weren't exactly materialistic but they didn't believe in paucity.

"Hi Ush'lar, I'll take the usual turtle back with a little extra ghost mushrooms and pineapples" grinned Ke'nir.

"Sounds good, I'll take that too," commented Sirexx.

"Alright, coming soon. 1/5 ishn, if you may. Creator's favor to you."

The tavern was small and there weren't many seats. There were mostly gladiators and Unseen present. The dim light of the oil lamp and the relaxing sound of the flute welcomed many qiraji to a new day. Sirexx and Ke'nir took seats in a table near the door.

"I really don't mind these days hanging out in Promise," remarked Sirexx.

"Well, me neither but sometimes it's nice to feel useful to our people."

"Especially considering our successes and group. You're right but sometimes it's good to just relax."

"What's your opinion about the Mirage?"

"The new book about the search for legendary eastern isles? Haven't read it yet, though the concept is certainly interesting."

"It is. The author claims to have discovered one of them called Tel'Abim."

"Really? I guess I should buy it then…"

"Suit yourself. I wonder if there's something behind them, across the Great Sea. I mean, our lore does imply Azeroth to be round but the Western Sea is equally mysterious."

"Though the Prophet himself ordered us to spread the Creator's word to the four corners of the world, though that could have been just a metaphor. So who knows?

"Skeram certainly knows and if we're not told, it's probably not important."

Ke'nir moved forward and his voice turned to whispers.

"Do you believe everything we're told or not told?"

Sirexx was surprised by the question. Did he? Though he had had his moments of doubt, he usually regarded himself loyal to his leaders' authority. Sirexx also lowered his voice.

"Why not? Has Skeram given us reasons not to trust him? Or anyone else?"

"Not really. Though sometimes I'm concerned… I'm not sure I truly understand why we're doing so much preparations if the Creator's all-powerful? And… what if his return isn't like we're told?"

Sirexx wasn't sure what to say. Basically Ke'nir's questions were treason against Ahn'Qiraj, its leaders, God and the qiraji race. However, he couldn't ignore Ke'nir's remarks even though he didn't believe them. Yet, Ke'nir placed a lot of trust in him as he could from now on tell the prophets about Ke'nir's questions. For that Sirexx was grateful.

"For the sake of all Kalimdor, let's hope they're right. Anyway there's not much to be done. And if I were you, I wouldn't share such remarks. If someone overhears such things you'll be a head shorter in no time."

"I know, Sirexx, it's bothering me. Let's just hope I'm wrong.

After finishing their meals, they were confronted by a wasp on the street. It was bringing a message from Sa'rol. A new mission was waiting for them. Sarol's office wasn't far away so it didn't take long for the duo to cover the distance.

"What took you so long? Too busy gambling your boots away?" grinned Ra'jol.

"Of course not. When I play Me'lesh, it's others who leave as paupers. No we were just having quality time in Scorpid and Pint, joked Sirexx.

"Anyhow, Sa'rol's waiting, let's see what's in store for us this time" said Danoxx.

* * *

"Pleased to see it didn't take too long for you."

"Wasps are fast, Sa'rol. We came as quick as we could." answered Danoxx.

"Good. The Creator has found a way for you to serve Him and Ahn'Qiraj."

"We will be happy to do so. What does He ask of us?"

"To fulfill your purpose, to spread His sacred word. This time, there's a way to do this very easily. You see, we have found a possible disciple among the sand trolls.

Sirexx frowned his forehead. No race except qiraji had embraced the Creator. Why would the trolls do so now?

"She is the first hydromancer of the tribe. She's having some kind of dispute with the chief. The thing is, she's very frustrated with her superiors and believes they're being led to a period of decline. Moreover, their conflict with us further weakens the Sandfury tribe. So, she sent us an offer. We help her overthrow their chief and she allies the tribe with us and embraces the Creator's grace."

"Just like that? We go in and murder the chief? Even a gladiator could do that." wondered Danoxx.

"Do you honestly think the tribe members would accept an alliance with invaders and murderers? No, that's not your mission. A hydromancer cannot be the chief so she had to find a puppet to lead formally. Sadly, he's greatly disliked among the trolls and they will not accept him easily. For that, he needs a boost from local legend. A sword called Sul'Thraze the Lasher."

"Sul'Thraze? The greatest troll blade of all? It would even rival any of our generals' weapons!"

"You've sure had long afternoons Sirexx. Who cares about some backward morons and their weapons?"

"Don't be too harsh Ra'jol. Now my reading came in handy. Sul'Thraze truly is miracle of a weapon. Too bad it's…"

"…lost you're saying?" asked Sa'rol smiling. "Well, in that case you need to update your knowledge. After receiving the offer, we didn't waste time wondering about the sword's whereabouts. A weapon of such stature is not easy to hide. We have no shortage of wasps and even they didn't have much difficulty finding clues. It seems it's somewhere in southern Barrens."

"Southern Barrens is very sparsely populated. Not many possible thieves. In fact I can come up with only two: taurens or the pig-men."

"Taurens are not found in that area. But you are correct, Danoxx, that leaves only one possible culprit. Quillboar, as they're called. They're your target. Locate and take Sul'Thraze by any means necessary."

"We haven't moved past Thousand Needles yet. Is it wise to push further? It could antagonize the races further north, like the Night Elves."

"We will not compromise with non-believers! We take what is necessary to promote the Creator's glory. Moreover, none can challenge the might of Ahn'Qiraj. The Night Elves have already infiltrated _our_ lands, why should we make concessions to them? Barrens is not even Night Elf territory."

"I didn't mean to criticize. We'll be on our way soon."

"Any questions?"

"Why cannot this future-chief fight with other weapons? Why does it have to be Sul'Thraze? asked Ke'nir.

"As I said, he's widely disliked. However, Sul'Thraze is considered sacred and any victor using it is considered blessed. Even this weakling. May Creator's light guide your path."


	5. A Barren Journey

A Barren Journey

The burning sun. The ever so gentle wind of the desert. Occasional animals seen through the rippling air. Not much else was there to greet the rare traveler in Tanaris. Though the qiraji had lived their entire lives in the wide sand wilderness that covered most of southern Kalimdor, even they didn't enjoy the long trek north, to the valley where Tanaris and the even more hostile Shimmering Flats meet. If anything these journeys had become a routine for the qiraji groups traveling to and from Prophet's Promise. And they didn't expect anything from these journeys.

Only when Danoxx's squad reached the eastern end of the Shimmering Flats, did the preparations for the mission begin. The group was exhausted from the long journey. Moreover, twilight had begun to shroud the cliffs and mesas ahead in its embrace.

"If I'm not terribly mistaken here, I'd say this is a fine moment to rest before we begin to hunt pigs." grinned Danoxx to his own joke.

"Good idea. We might have a long day tomorrow. Southern Barrens are no small place and finding some quilboars there won't be easy." answered Sirexx.

"Indeed. These cliffs should give us shelter from potential enemies. A shame the Grimtotem camp is too far south." Ke'nir lamented.

"I'm not so sure. The tauren tents didn't suit me at all… might as well sleep in here." said Ra'jol to the green qiraji.

"Alright! We'll continue before the sunrise. Use this time as well as you can." concluded Danoxx.

The darkening valley was full of sounds: birds singing, distant hyenas howling and the gentle whistle of the southern wind. Thousand Needles were a garden of life compared to Tanaris. Mixed with the rhythmic drums of taurens, they brought a strong sense of beauty to the valley, at least to an open observer. Sirexx had begun to enjoy the trips to this land of ancient traditions and majestic horizons.

 _Truly a magical place… I'm almost sorry to have brought trouble here but mission's a mission. Who am I to question them? I just hope that we could sometimes live in peace._

* * *

The late night had begun to lose ground to the breaking dawn. Danoxx was the last one in guard so he could wake the others up in time.

"Get up, time to go!"

The three others didn't take a long time waking up. Ra'jol didn't have a hard time but Sirexx and Ke'nir heartily disliked these wake-ups. Nonetheless, Danoxx wasn't going to waste time. The southern Barrens were waiting.

"If you weren't aware, there aren't many ways to reach our target for there's a huge cliff between us and Barrens. The thing is, most tribes have been unable to spread north because of it. However, our "dear" friends, Grimtotems know a way to bypass the cliff, through a small pass in the mountains."

"Why haven't the others found it?" asked Ke'nir.

"Because it's near the Shimmering Flats and it's extremely isolated and narrow. Not many reasons to be there. We're pretty near its mouth so I suggest that we spread out to find it faster."

Sirexx wasn't too happy looking at the massive cliff in front of him. The pass could be anywhere the few kilometers right and left. It could be hours before they would find it. Sighing, Sirexx took the only option available: to get to work.

The cliff seemed similar everywhere Sirexx looked. He had looked for half an hour and had found nothing of interest. Neither had the others: he would know it through their crystals. The wall ahead didn't look promising either, just the same wall of stone as far as he could see. Just when he was about to continue the search, he could hear the crystal uttering a message. A message from Ra'jol.

"I found something like Danoxx's description. However, I wouldn't call it a pass, more like a sad hole. I'm about an hour's walk from our starting point."

"You heard Ra'jol. Get there as soon as possible." said Danoxx contently.

The pass indeed was hardly worth its name. It was hardly wide enough for the Unseen. No wonder only few tauren had ever found it.

"Yes, this is it. It shouldn't be too long, though it goes rather steeply upwards."

Indeed, the pass began going upwards very quickly. It was very deep, only the lightening sky could be seen between the surrounding rocks. The sounds of some lizards fleeing to their holes could be heard here and there, but otherwise the pass was very quiet. Forward was only steeply rising path.

The opening ahead was definitely a welcome sight. The pass had continued long enough. The view that greeted the four qiraji didn't give a great promise. Arid plains as far as you could see. The Barrens were worth the name.

"At least we're here. Though I'm not looking forward finding anything here." notified Sirexx dryly.

"Did Sa'rol tell anything about the quilboars' location?" asked Ra'jol.

"Nothing more than what you heard. The question is: if you were native to this place, where would you find your home?" came Danoxx's response.

"Home? They could be nomads as far as we know!" said Ke'nir.

"If they were, the wasps would have known Sul'Thraze's location. No, they must have some kind of settlement somewhere in the surrounding plains. Any ideas?"

Ke'nir came up with one: "As you said, the wasps would have found it if it were on open place. It's probably in some canyon."

"Perhaps. But there are mountains all around. I suggest that we search the northern hillside and we send wasps to the west and if they're unsuccessful, north.

The others nodded to Danoxx's proposition. When the wasps had left for the west, the group started moving north at a fast pace. For a long time nothing changed: the same slightly grassy plain as far as one could see. Even the animals were rare: some hyenas and giraffes. Yet, even after many hours' jogging, nothing changed. The environment stayed the same, nothing of importance could be seen and only the rising heat reminded the qiraji they weren't just repeating the same moment over and over again. The group's spirits were falling fast.

"At least in Tanaris it doesn't take damn weeks to get _somewhere!_ This search will give me chills for ages." lamented Ra'jol.

"Indeed. You literally cannot find anything here. Are the trolls even worth this?"

"Perhaps not but the Creator is, Sirexx. You know this so I suggest that you keep your quiet from now on." said Danoxx wearily.

"What if we're going the wrong way? Maybe they've hidden themselves somewhere in the hills. We could run past them as well as we know!" came Ra'jol's comment.

"In that case we'll spend…"

Danoxx interrupted his answer at the sight of familiar forms appearing from the northern sky. The wasps were returning, hopefully with some news. Even a small clue would be welcome. A few wasps approached Danoxx and began passing on their findings. A smile appeared on Danoxx's face as he received the news.

"It seems we're lucky. Our scouts were successful! They have pretty much located the pig hive.

The others seemed relieved. The nightmare of days of searching for naught had just disappeared.

"It is pretty far from here but we should reach it by nightfall. It's located in a canyon in the mountains to the north so it is quite secure. Our job's going to require some victims but let's worry about that when we get there."

"How is it that the wasps couldn't locate it earlier? I mean Sa'rol's wasps." asked Ke'nir.

"This time there were probably some boars nearby to show the way or perhaps Sa'rol's' weren't that thorough."

"Are they technologically advanced?" came Sirexx's question.

"Well, we'll find that out soon enough."

* * *

The quilboar home surely didn't look all that civilized, at least if you asked Ra'jol. He despised most of the other races, especially the more primitive ones. The sight that greeted his eyes in the evening light certainly didn't raise his respect. Massive thorns filling the small entrance to the canyon, guarded by no one. Nothing to imply there was anything of note inside.

"This is their "capital"? It's even sadder than I thought."

"Don't judge yet. Who knows what lurks inside. Quite clever, it's difficult to make a plan if we know nothing of the enemy." answered Danoxx.

"I'd just kill these animals! They're no match for us."

"They just might. I've lost some of my former teammates to lesser things than quilboars."

"Should we be afraid? Of some pigs? You're just…"

"Preparing is not being afraid, Ra'jol. I'm not going to die here and I'm not taking a risk. Sirexx, come here!"

Sirexx was sitting aside from the others, resting after the trek and eyeing the entrance of quilboar base. However, hearing Danoxx's call, he rose up and approached his leader.

"What is it, Danoxx?"

"What's your impression about the entrance?"

"Not much to be impressed about. We've seen nothing thus far."

"Indeed. Do you think we should get into action right away?"

"Not really. We should know something about their defenses first."

"Correct. That's where I thought you'd come in. Ra'jol isn't feeling subtle today and Ke'nir isn't as good as you in investigating. Information is always useful."

"How much time do I have? I though we wouldn't linger here for too long"

"We're in no hurry but I hope we could act this night."

* * *

Sneaking in a shadowy canyon in the night was probably even too easy for the Unseen. Even a silithid could do this but they knew nothing about planning or analyzing. Sirexx didn't really know what to expect. The quilboar were a new enemy and no enemy was similar to others. Thus far he wasn't concerned though: he had no reason to believe the mission would be a challenge.

Having advanced about five minutes, Sirexx began to hear voices. And there was no mistaking the source: primitive and fast oinking confirmed it without a doubt. Sirexx slid further into shadow, reaching the canyon's wall. It was too steep to climb so the investigation had to be done on the low ground. Sirexx was able to take his first look on the creatures.

 _Two of them, equipped with spears and dressed in some dilapidated robes. I'm not really sure about their speech though, is it actual language?"_

The two quilboars began approaching Sirexx's location. Even though he knew he could get rid of them whenever he wished, the brown qiraji wanted to do his job in another way.

 _I'm sorry, but don't you have other things to worry than your patrol?_

The air behind the quilboars began to feel strange, as if the pressure in in it grew threefold. The quilboars turned around surprised just in time for Sirexx to release his grip on the air, resulting in a noticeable pressure wave. The quilboars fell down from the hit and after a few moments they fled deeper into their lair. Sirexx knew they'd soon be back with reinforcements so he used the time to slip after them.

The sight that greeted him was didn't raise his spirits: a huge valley under a giant thorn bush, filled with quilboars and small tents. In the center of the village was a high swirling rock. There was a way to the top of it and Sirexx had no problem imagining that the Sul'Thraze's owner was probably there.

 _This'll take a lot of planning, killing and silithids. The terrain is uneven, lots of hills and low ground. The boars seem to possess multiple skills, from simple warriors to some sort of magic users. And the central pillar… how are we supposed to steal anything from there?_

The sounds of the returning quillboars awoke Sirexx from his observations. He grinned swiftly and before any quilboar could notice, he was gone.


	6. Battle for Sul'Thraze

Battle for Sul'Thraze

Danoxx was lost in thought. Sirexx's report wasn't what he wished to hear. Even if the quilboar were mere barbarians, their advantageous position complicated things. A simple sneaking mission wouldn't do: even if they could steal Sul'Thraze, if was highly unlikely any of the qiraji could get out alive. A silithid invasion wouldn't do because even they couldn't reach Barrens en masse. Maybe a few drones and wasps but the colossi were out of question.

 _There are these magi too: they could possess who knows what powers! A shame Sirexx couldn't see them. Whatever we'll do, it's going to be a huge gamble. Let's see what we've got: four able squad members, some silithids, limited natural powers and my little surprise. Getting them work perfectly in sync will be hard but… wait a moment!_

Danoxx suddenly came up with something. It was certainly not a solid idea but with some luck it could work.

The response was at most lukewarm. The plan was risky, possessed many possible faults and leaned on many assumptions which could prove to be wrong.

"Are you sure about this? What if their magic is something overwhelming? Are you sure you willing to bet everything on simple guesses?"

"I certainly am not, Ke'nir. But we have no choice. Ahn'Qiraj doesn't tolerate abandoning quests because you're scared. If you have a better idea, you're very welcome to present it. If not, we'll embark in five minutes."

"At least we could soften them with some assassinations first. The less defenders, the easier the mission."

"If they don't spot us first. I think we should just do this as fast as we can." proposed Sirexx.

"We could certainly take some of them out first but only if it's safe. Let's observe and reflect the situation there. But remember that it's better to alert them at the pillar than at the beginning. The more time we get, the better."

* * *

Two boar-like creatures were patrolling the outer ring of the Razorfen Downs. The night was very calm and dark. Aside from some idiots' interruption an hour earlier, nothing broke the tranquility of the nightly peace of the valley. The coming day would be a completely another tale, however. The high chief had fallen yesterday in a battle and a handful of hopefuls would compete in a free-for-all fight. At the same time the other quilboar would probably fight their own petty battles amid a rare day home.

One of the two patrols seemed very smug. Sirexx had no idea why, but he surely didn't like the expression. As if the pig planned some kind of revenge or other kind of violent showdown. However, he wouldn't live too long to see it through. His and his comrade's paths would end in just a few moments. The qiraji group had temporarily split up to get some easy victims before their final push.

The duo had just passed under Sirexx. He was hiding on a rocky wall by the road. The clouds had just covered the moon whose light now used to shine upon the valley. The darkness also deepened the shadows near the walls, making an assassin's work easier.

 _It's incredible that our victims can't see a thing on nights like these. Makes these preparations much easier._

Sirexx moved a few steps alongside the duo evaluating their movements, speed and the best way to do the job.

 _Not too fast. The farther one limps slightly, his speed is down. The other looks healthy but a little careless._

The qiraji decided that the time had come. He calculated for a moment, leaped from the wall…

…and felt the quilboar's back breaking under his weight. Without a break he closed his distance with the other quilboar, backstabbing him before the enemy noticed.

 _Very nice, just as I hoped. At least these things don't have an awesome reaction time. A little relief._

Sirexx took a glance over the next stone wall. No other guards were patrolling the outer circles of the valley. The lights of the tents could be seen here and there but the qiraji didn't have time to take them all out. Sirexx took a glance at his teammates. Everyone had done their jobs. Now was the time to begin the real push.

Before the qiraji squad opened an impressive sight. The many torches from the tents created beautiful light effects in the darkness, some simple bright spots on the surrounding walls, some creating playing shadows around the valley. Behind them was a large menacing shadow, which only the rare lights revealed as rock. The cloud wall around the moon was beginning to scatter, so the moon's pale rays started to mix their brightness with the torches.

No more exchanges were needed between the qiraji. The quartet simply nodded to each other, wishing each other luck, or rather, Creator's favor. The plan was clear, any further delay would be meaningless and dangerous, given the clouds' movements. A highly anxious look formed on Sirexx's face, reflecting the unpredictable outcome. However, he also felt trust in his leader, comrades and himself. They had never failed totally, and they certainly wouldn't today.

Sirexx was the second one of the group to begin moving towards the central rock. Each of them would use the high-ground, thorns and shadows to get as far as they could without being seen. Sirexx took a way slightly to his left side. It went above a high rock wall, then into a dense thorn bush and then he would begin his climb towards Sul'Thraze. The others had largely similar, albeit different routes.

The moonlight was casting its light mainly at the western end of the valley. Their movement was nearly noiseless, only some occasional rustle which could as well have been a rat to a quilboar disturbed the peace of the valley. Everyone closed their distance easily and without being detected. At least that's what they thought.

* * *

Dustsnout had always been a highly vigilant quilboar. This trait had probably enabled him to live this far as he was extremely arrogant and had many enemies. Many had tried to put a knife to his sleeping back but they had always felt the sting in themselves first. He was deeply hated but few dared to challenge him anymore.

He needed very little sleep and at nights he usually was either finishing business with his few rivals or observing any uncommon activity. This night had already brought one. Dustsnout was one of the few who believed the two patrols' story. Not only that but he also was confident of the aggressors' return. That's why he was even more vigilant this night. After a long wait his awareness paid off and he noticed something he was waiting for.

 _Rustling somewhere on the walls, and some vague shadows on the southern side. Slightly overconfident yet fit for usual ambushes. Perhaps the others would be interested in this story._

* * *

All four qiraji had reached the thorn bushes surrounding the central rock. They could sense each other's relief at making it this far unnoticed. There was no time to chat or rest however. Sul'Thraze was within their grasp and the sooner it was retrieved the sooner they could head back to Promise. The four Unseen moved quickly to the shelter of the shadow beneath the cliff and began moving up…only to hear a massive roar behind them.

 _What the…? Oh crap._

Sirexx was briefly stunned by the sight greeting him. A handful of quilboars were charging right at the qiraji. Their charging roar was sure to wake up every quilboar in the Downs. Luckily they were too impulsive to wait for their whole might to assemble. In any way, the mission just became a whole lot more dangerous.

"Sirexx! Ra'jol! Do as we planned in situations like these and go get the sword! We'll follow and try to keep these pigs away from you. I've got a surprise for them." Danoxx commanded the two while turning to face the attacking crowd.

 _Keep coming, keep coming. Soon you'll know better than to attack a qiraji high ambusher brashly._

Ke'nir and Danoxx stood side by side, ready to strike down any boar. Their chelas were a formidable armor and a weapon at the same time. However, they didn't merely rely on their natural defenses. They wielded a large dagger in their left hand which, combined with chela, brought nice results.

Moreover, the two were only using their basic weapons at this time. More quilboars were approaching steadily and Danoxx decided that now was the time to use his perk as a high ambusher. He activated the two oddly-formed trinkets hanging from his green hood. Suddenly, a huge ghastly fish-like form formed in front of him, granting Danoxx its power.

* * *

Sirexx and Ra'jol didn't have a hard time reaching the top of the pillar. The path lacked any enemies so anyone who got this far could make it. The duo didn't waste any time. The top was fairly small and contained only one tent albeit a large one. But the most noteworthy feature was the quilboar standing at the center of the top, glaring at the two newcomers. He wore a large boar-mask and green robes.

"I've been expecting you since your intrusion earlier this night. You've come for my sword, no?"

The quilboar spoke in taur-ahe as the language was the most widely spoken one in the surrounding lands. A certain amount of disgust resonated on the quilboar's face, most likely because of his opponents' appearance.

"If you say so. Given that you knew that you have to be a shaman." answered Sirexx. The qiraji were seldom fluent in the tauren language but some were. Sirexx and Ra'jol were of the latter ones.

The quilboar narrowed his eyes and his expression turned more aggressive.

"Never call me a shaman! I'm much more, as my subjects have come to see. In the past, I was called Argug Cursetooth but now I am a possessed by the spirit of Agamaggan himself!"

"Agamaggan? I really don't care who that is but it doesn't interest us! We're here for just the sword."

The quilboar turned to Ra'jol with a hostile and disbelieving expression.

"Every creature has heard of me! Even if you damn bugs are so ignorant, I promise you will know my name before the end."

Sirexx didn't believe Argug for a second but he wanted some answers.

"Why did you steal Sul'Thraze? You, whatever you claim to be, should surely possess more power than a sword, however legendary it is."

"It was here far before my rise to power! I simply keep it as a symbol of our tribe's strength. As such, I can't let you steal it!"

Argug then cast a quick spell. It was no normal shamanic spell however: it didn't appear to be from the elements and the two qiraji couldn't sense much of its nature in a fraction of a second until the spell was complete. In front of Argug appeared a huge transparent being which resembled a boar. It was swiftly charging the moment it appeared and only the quick insectoid reflexes allowed the two qiraji to dodge the charging ghost.

 _What… is that? A normal shaman can't summon anything that swift and powerful! What is that thing anyway, his late cousin?_

Ra'jol managed to regain his balance swiftly and began to charge Argug. Sirexx tried to keep the ghost in check while the other qiraji was trying to take care of the quillboar.

"That is but a fraction of my true power. That spectre is a piece of Agamaggan's strength!"

Ra'jol couldn't stand his adversary's smug and self-loving expression. Even more importantly, he was appalled by Argug's claims of godhood.

"We have a god as well, pig. However, unlike yours, no one dares to usurp Him and He's much more than a mindlessly charging boar! And He is actually alive, not a ghost like this Agamaggot!"

Argug's eyes widened in rage. There was nothing to add to Ra'jol's sacrilege against him, the god of his people and the savior of Kalimdor long ago. This intruder wouldn't live to see the dawn which was approaching quickly.

* * *

Meanwhile, lower on the ramp surrounding the hill, things were getting tough for Ke'nir and Danoxx.

"We cannot go on like this, Danoxx! We'll be overwhelmed before long. I trust that wasn't the plan?"

"I wouldn't sacrifice myself on a mission like this, Ke'nir. As you may know, the higher the qiraji's position, the better his rewards."

Danoxx had to cut off his sentence to parry a sizeable quillboar's attack. After crushing his opponents arm with his right chela and penetrating him with the knife he held with his left one, he continued.

"I'm on the lowest rank to get an actual heirloom. While it is nothing compared to my superiors' trinkets, it's quite potent against ordinary foes. I use it very rarely as we don't want everyone to learn our secrets, do we?"

"What are you waiting for? Why not use it now? There won't be a better time than this!"

"The silithid aren't in position yet. We must cause them maximum casualties and chaos to buy Sirexx and Ra'jol more time."

* * *

Ra'jol was having a hard time. The quilboar was casting a violent rain from the sky but the liquid was not water. It seemed like blood. Not only regular human blood but it felt almost corrosive. Not too much to cause an instant threat but it would take its toll before long. Sirexx on the other hand, had his hands full trying to contain the raging ghost and keep it away from Ra'jol.

 _Hurry Ra'jol, this thing is attacking like a madman! I can't even strike it, it's too fast._

The phantom boar didn't show any signs of fatigue. Its tusks were huge: Sirexx couldn't afford any hit from them either.

 _This rain doesn't help any, it bites increasingly hard. We won't make it at this rate._

After its latest charge, the boar turned around once again to face its opponent. Its narrow eyes burned with rage.

 _There's something strange about its eyes. It almost seems like it calculates something. But boars are just animals!_

The next charge was one of outstanding speed and ferocity. Sirexx had minimal time to react as the ancient spirit felled him on the ground.

 _What the…? What is that speed!_

The ghost continued its offensive, trying to crush the qiraji when he was off guard. However, this turned to be its first mistake. Sirexx's green eyes resonated with fear but also with the realization of the boar's recklessness. In a blink the boar was upon the Unseen but Sirexx was even faster. His chela locked around the ghost's left tusk and with a loud crack, it broke in half.

 _I should be dead by now but apparently undead make mistakes too. Thank the Creator!_

The battle resumed quickly. However the missing tusk created a major weakness on the boar's left side.

* * *

Ra'jol didn't have a lot of time to check Sirexx's fight but he surely was relieved to see his comrade being able to continue. He would have no chance against his own opponent with the boar on his back. Ra'jol and Argug seemed to be roughly equal in strength. Something was needed to change to turn the battle in either one's favor.

* * *

Sirexx knew this. He was thinking hard to find a way to help his comrade. Even when injured, the boar took all his attention. Because of the "rain", time was on Argug's side. Slowly but surely, the toxic blood-like liquid was burning its way through the two qiraji's skins.

 _Wall of smoke, shadowstep, I can't even reach his back undetected! How do we do this… my former tricks don't seem to help. The Unseen aren't supposed to battle for long. Expect… maybe…"_

An idea came to Sirexx's mind. An idea from a memory from years past, when he was completing his last tasks of becoming a real part of the Unseen caste. On a nearly doomed mission, his old friend Idh'lash had pulled it off with a unique yet potent plan.

 _The western mountains of Silithus were seemingly impassable and of very limited interest to anyone but scorpions and buzzards. A narrow range of low mountains separating the qiraji heartland from the sea. Populated by no sapient beings, even qiraji came seldom here. However, a few days prior, the prophets had received a word about an enormous and unusually powerful raven roaming the hills. To track and see if it's anything of value, they sent a group of Unseen novices after it. The group consisted of four young qirajis. Their names were Uklass, Sirexx, Alarash and Id'lash. Their performance here would determine who would proceed to final Unseen selections._

 _After a day of search in the hot sunlight, Alarash spotted their prey. It was flying not so high on a large canyon._

" _That must be it. Just a raven, we'll kill it easily." was Uklass' thought._

" _Yes, an animal's just an animal, even if it's overgrown." agreed Sirexx._

" _You know what to do. Just concentrate to create a ripple in the air over the bird, that'll down it. Just a moment longer, it's approaching us. Do it, now!" commanded Idh'lash._

 _The bird was caught in the airwave and it dropped to the ground. However, what followed surprised the qiraji completely. Before the raven touched the ground, it was gone. In its place stood a long, slim and heavily bearded creature._

" _By Stormrage's deeds… What are you doing!?" the man said clearly agitated._

" _What are you? What happened to the raven?" demanded Alarash._

" _Why wouldn't you be stupid enough to ask that… I am a night elf, a druid but nothing more concerns you."_

" _What are you doing here? Your kind lives far to the north, not in Silithus!" came Idh'lash's question._

" _My people tolerated only magic from arcane and pure origin but my calling was to follow a druid's path. Thus I was forced to leave so I could travel in time to Emerald Dream. But you owe me an explanation too. Why did you attack me? " asked the stranger sighing._

" _We didn't come to discuss anything with outsiders! Our orders were to kill the great raven and that's you. Even if you're not what you seemed, you're still our target!" shouted Uklass._

 _The night elf frowned heavily. "I'm not your enemy yet you still wish to kill me? I should have expected no less from any bug. I won't be an easy opponent. Are you sure you wish this?"_

 _Uklass's answer was swift and decisive. He charged right at the druid wishing to crush him quickly. The druid however was far too fast for that. He transformed into a bear, crushing Uklass' leg with his jaws._

 _Sirexx came just in time to prevent the bear from decapitating Uklass. While he was holding the bear at bay, Alarash stepped behind the druid, ready to attack its back. However, the druid took another form, this time a smaller, feline form. His speed increased dramatically and he slipped from Sirexx's grip and hit Alarash vigorously._

 _With all his comrades locked in combat or wounded, Idh'lash wondered what to do. He certainly couldn't just charge in, like the others. He couldn't tell what other forms the night elf could take so he couldn't really tell what to do._

 _Then it hit him. Whatever the druid did, he could only transform to a beast. Some ranged threat would divert its attention long enough! The Unseen weren't exactly trained for ranged combat but maybe, just maybe their crystals could be used to connect to another race's head too. With luck, an outsider couldn't take the pressure from internal qiraji mind maze. But how that work… well, qiraji could use it whenever needed. Perhaps it could be forced into another's mind regardless of his race._

 _Idh'lash approached the druid slowly. He was locked in combat with the two still battling qiraji so he didn't pay much attention to Idh'lash._

 _When he was near enough, Idh'lash stroke the crystal into the druid's neck. While the wound wasn't too bad, it allowed the Unseen to direct the crystal's energies to the druid's veins and mind. The sensation of joining minds with his opponents brought strange kind of confusion to the druid. That confusion bought Sirexx a second to penetrate the druid's face. Immediately, the night elf fell to his side and stopped moving._

 _Sirexx was surprised by Idh'lash's wits. The two had advanced to the final Unseen selection while the other two had not, thanks to Idh'lash's idea and Sirexx's swiftness in saving Uklass' life._

* * *

 _Perhaps that could work again? Could I divert the pig's attention like Idh'lash did?_

Sirexx had searched his memory for possible answers but he was disappointed to find his friend's deed the most promising. The problem was, the ghost boar was still there and Sirexx couldn't take the risk that it would charge his back while he was helping Ra'jol. But perhaps he could disappear from the boars's vision for a moment and use this time to his advantage?

 _Perhaps it could work. I'll just have to be fast enough. At least Ra'jol keeps that guy busy…"_

Sirexx had enough time to observe Argug's movement, due to his insectoid sense of smell which reported his enemy's movements. The "blood" falling from the sky weakened his senses somewhat but not enough to make the qiraji's sense of smell useless.

The boar was getting ready to charge once again but this time, Sirexx was waiting for it. Once again taking the ghost's left side, this time Sirexx didn't try to attack his adversary, but moved quickly to the shadows near the quilboar chieftain. Sirexx didn't linger but stepped quickly forward trying to stab Argug's neck with the crystal …

…but was hit by lightning from the sky before he reached his prey.

"Did you really believe I wouldn't sense an assassin behind me? I am a demigod after all, I'm not that easy to kill. If that was an honest try, you really deserve to die here!"

* * *

"The time is right! My trinket's ready to trigger now. Shield me for just a moment" Danoxx asked Ke'nir.

The quillboar were packed as a horde trying to overrun the two qiraji. There were some quilboar corpses here and there but mostly the Unseen had simply tried to keep the boars at bay with slight rock falls and air bursts as well as their fearsome natural weapons. Time for that was swiftly fading however, and the tribe was beginning to attack the two en masse.

But they didn't know what was coming. Suddenly under the feet of the first quilboars appeared a hole. In a second, from it emerged an ear-wrenching scream as the quillboar were eaten alive. A mass of silithid drones appeared from the hole, either completely consuming or "merely" killing the quilboars in their way.

Ke'nir was surprised by the sudden turn of events. He didn't know the silithid were so numerous in the Barrens.

"Uhh, Danoxx? Is this your trinket's power? To command silithids more efficiently?" asked Ke'nir in confusion.

"Normally a qiraji can merely command a silithid. Usually that is enough but the silithid are practically mindless. They would only swarm and destroy their enemies and everything on their way. What my trinket does is that it gives more substance to their actions. You could say it takes full mind control of the silithid which enables me to give them a strategy and guide them to attack the right spots."

Ke'nir could only watch in awe as the insect wave swept through the first boars. However soon they regrouped and began to push the invaders back.

"Drones can do only that much. We could use their tunnel to escape but not without Sul'Thraze. We need to guard the tunnel and continue the fight. The fate of the mission is now in Sirexx and Ra'jol's hands."

* * *

Sirexx writhed with agony. While the lightning hadn't severely wounded him, the rain was really taking its toll. Sirexx and Ra'jol's skins were all but corroding away and the fragment of Agamaggan's essence was back in business. The battle was lost. However, their mission was to steal Sul'thraze, not to kill Argug.

"Ra'jol, go get that damned sword! I'll still be able to keep the fight on a moment longer!" Sirexx whispered to his crystal.

"But…" Ra'jol's response was cut short by the realization that there was no time for it. He could easily see Sirexx's worsening condition and the rain's toll on himself too. They would be dead in a few minutes.

Argug saw what his adversaries were planning and he wasn't going to let that happen. The bigger qiraji would probably withstand the first lightning strikes but even he had to submit to fire. The other qiraji wouldn't be a match to the boar anymore he figured.

But that was his mistake. Sirexx suddenly seemed to vanish into the late night's dark. Argug could still feel his presence but much more vaguely. Sirexx, however, wasn't planning on attacking immediately. By hiding and causing confusion to the quilboar, he bought Ra'jol more time than by simply getting beaten by his now-superior opponent. Not soon after, Sirexx could sense Ra'jol had found their target.

The fact wasn't kept hidden from Argug for long. That he hadn't managed to crush the Unseen by now and that they now possessed the symbol of quilboar control, made something snap in him. He began calling massive fires on the hilltop, hoping to burn everything in their wake, even his own tent.

"This ends now, blasphemous thieves. This god can't tolerate you any longer. You'll die here and now!"

However, Sirexx and Ra'jol weren't Unseen for nothing. The moment they saw Argug's casting, they knew their times in Razorfen Downs was over. Before the spell was done, the two qiraji were gone.

They didn't have time to use the main passage though. They jumped off the hilltop on a spot they thought was near the base of the path leading up the hill. They were lucky. Just a meter left from their landing site were their comrades.

"Thank the Creator you're all right! I see you were successful too! Now quickly into the silithid tunnel!"

Danoxx seemed highly relieved by his squad's reunion and that the silithid's entrance tunnel was still ready for escape.

Three of the qiraji entered the tunnel quickly. Ra'jol's leg, however, had been damaged in the fall and it was probably broken. Danoxx and Ke'nir had to help Ra'jol get away from the fight. When he was in, Danoxx hit the walls hard countless times. Soon, the tunnel's opening began to collapse. The others had already moved Ra'jol further into the tunnel. The frenzied quilboar could only watch the tunnel collapse and the invaders escape into the vast uncharted tunnel network of the silithid.


	7. Preparations for the Coming

Preparations for the Coming

The Temple of the Moon in Vordanaar was indeed an impressive sight. Though relatively small in size, it's location on the shore of large moonwell in a heavily forested glade south of the city itself, combined with the beautifully yet humbly painted exterior created a magical and fitting shrine to the Goddess of the Moon, Elune. Aside from that, it also served as the most important governmental building in Vordanaar, which in turn was the strongest night elf state.

Archdruid Fandral Staghelm had called a meeting in the Temple. Attendants were the Priestess of the Moon and the leader of the Sentinels, Tyrande Whisperwind, her deputy leader Artheldrin, leader of the Cenarion Circle, Remulos and the ambassador of the Shen'dralar, Lorekeeper Tylas. The meeting was held in a small room on the second floor, with a great view to the lake. Fandral was the first one to speak.

"Elune-Adore and thank you all for attending. Your presence here is of critical importance."

The others were listening closely. Only Tyrande and Tylas were completely aware of the matter at hand but they let Fandral break the news.

"We all know of the rising qiraji threat so no need to go through all that. I invited you because of a new development on the subject. Before they kept mostly to themselves, their only interaction with other races being burgling and murdering. Well, that has changed now. I don't even want to know why but the Sandfury trolls have forged an alliance with the qiraji."

Tyrande and Tylas didn't show any emotions but Remulos and Artheldrin gasped at the news.

"But… aren't trolls a mortal enemy of the qiraji? I mean they've fought far longer than the others against those bugs." asked Artheldrin clearly concerned.

"And that makes it all the more surprising. Of all the races, why trolls? The old empires of the Aqir and Gurubashi were the greatest of their time and ever since their fall, their last legacies, qiraji and the various troll tribes have just slaughtered each other's. Fandral, do you have any possible information why this happened?" Tyrande turned to look at the druid.

"No but I know that the Sandfury chieftain was murdered very lately. All of this happened after the tragic event. The qiraji must have somehow executed or assisted in some kind of coup d'etat which underlines the danger they pose to Kalimdor."

"Kalimdor itself hasn't suffered yet, Fandral. The Cenarion Circle stands with the Wild, not with any race, not even with the night elves."

"Haven't you felt a dark power resonating from somewhere in the southern deserts, Remulos?"

"The qiraji clearly wield some new kind of magic but the Circle can't say anything about its origin."

Fandral frowned. Remulos' answer wasn't what he hoped for.

"Lorekeeper, do you know something of value about their abilities?"

"They are seldom seen by the Shen'dralar. Most of what we know about them comes from the tauren. For some reason, they have left us alone for now. However, what we've heard is highly concerning. They're told to command a mass of normal insects, use some strange magic and in addition they've got brute strength. No one knows about their goals. Yet the Shen'dralar considers these new developments a clear threat to Eldre'Thalas, which is why we've sought this rapprochement between our peoples."

"We shall stand with the Shen'dralar, Lorekeeper. However, we mustn't act prematurely. Peace has been maintained for millennia and… I don't think I'll be ready for a new war."

A somber look crept to Tyrande's face.

"I still remember Zin-Azshari, Suramar and intact Kalimdor unlike some of you. Even if the qiraji aren't as great a threat as the Burning Legion, no one knows the outcome. Whatever happens, we should avoid a war."

Fandral took an understanding look on the High Priestess. Every night elf revered her because of her role in defeating the Burning Legion. He also understood her emptiness and sorrow over Malfurion's absence and Illidan's downfall.

"I agree. However, we cannot put this matter aside. The qiraji threat must be contained or we'll soon find them on our doorstep. My proposition is this: we send them an alliance proposal and perhaps some reparations if they pull back into their stronghold and live like the rest of Kalimdor's peoples."

The others looked far from convinced. Artheldrin and Tylas opposed the move and Tyrande didn't trust the plan's chances of success. Only Remulos supported the move.

"Very wise, Archdruid. Even if they decline, we should try to maintain peace. If they decline and a war arises, the Cenarion Circle will join you."

Tyrande nodded ad Remulos' comment.

"The chance of success is extremely low. However, I think it's the best way forward. Let's pray Elune they accept, otherwise the Sentinels shall ride again."

* * *

Sirexx's dreams were not as peaceful as they used to be. An odd yet welcoming feeling clouded them, as if it called him to embrace the mist surrounding him. However, Sirexx wasn't ready to join the mist just yet. A troubling feeling warned him to defy the welcoming sensation. Just as he was about to get his mind cleared, a heavy headache stroked him. Amid the pain, a voice called to him.

" _The time is approaching. Take your place. Destroy all who oppose you. Everyone is your enemy. KILL. THEM. ALL."_

Sirexx woke up immediately. This was not the first time he was hearing voices. However, he hadn't spoken of them to anyone and didn't really know what to think. Was he losing his mind? Who would be able to infiltrate his dreams, his mind unless…, the Creator himself? Only Skeram himself had a right to announce anything about the Creator and doing otherwise led easily to a blasphemy charge. And why would he be the only one to hear them. He didn't even know if he were. He could ask this comrades but perhaps it would be better to stay quiet for a moment. Sirexx didn't want to risk claiming to be the Skeram's superior, even to his friends.

As Sirexx was getting up from his bed, a wasp emerged from his open window. It rubbed its antennae together to create a sound comprehensible to a qiraji. The two races could communicate with their antennae, creating tiny ripples in the air the other could understand. This communication was very crude however, and you could only give simple information or commands with it. The wasp's message was clear, Sa'rol required Sirexx's squad.

Sa'rol was unusually tense. He seemed agitated and offended but clearly not at Danoxx or his comrades. The prophet was browsing "Prophecy of Skeram" when the four arrived. The qiraji books had a hole in the middle of them so you could put your chela through and browse with the other one. Usually Sa'rol was waiting his subordinates standing on his podium at the back of the rather large room. Now however, he was walking around it deep in thought. When he noticed the presence of the Unseen, Sa'rol raised his gaze.

"Who do they think they are? No one marches to our lands to demand an audience with Skeram!"

Danoxx looked puzzled. It was unlike Sa'rol to start the discussion this fast.

"Who are you talking about? And why are they still alive if this concerns you?"

"Because Skeram allows it! Of course I abide by the Prophet's decision but I cannot stand anyone being this arrogant. And I'm talking about night elves. They have sent a group ten to give our high command an offer but they didn't tell what it was."

"So how does this affect us? Isn't this a matter left to the capital?"

"Mostly yes but we cannot let them march through our lands unchecked. And given your success finding Sul'Thraze, I thought you deserve the honor to guard the meeting between the elves and the Prophet and his council.

Danoxx or the others couldn't believe their ears. They, one of the five squads stationed in Tanaris were allowed to see the Prophet, let alone guard him? Sirexx was stunned.

 _This can't be happening. No Unseen is even supposed to ever see the Prophet. This is… just unbelievable. I don't even know what to think!_

Sirexx's attention turned to the pictures in the ceilings of the room which told one of the most precious legends of the qiraji. It told about their race's creation from the silithid. Upon their race's birth they were known as the Aqir, but with the downfall of the united Aqir empire, it's fragments were forced to form civilizations of their own. There were some speculation about the fate of the other Aqir but the ones stranded in Silithus were lost at first. The empire was ruled by a highly powerful Aqir whose appearance and name was lost to history.

After centuries of Aqir rule, the qiraji were highly divided and primitive but with the Emperors' secretive guidance and Skeram's leadership they soon regrouped. They formed highly efficient camps and invented more developed technologies. They turned from barbaric Aqir into present qiraji with Skeram's lead. And he, a lowly Unseen, was going to guard him…

"But… surely the Prophet has guards of his own? What can we do?"

"He does have his elite guards but we've seen the night elves can be quite viciously fast and stealthy. Possibly too much so. But I trust you're ready to prevent any possible interruptions?"

"We… we are. If the night elves try anything, they're done for. Thank you for this honor, Sa'rol."

"It's no mere honor, Danoxx. Our position is favorable to begin overseeing the night elves and I don't think anyone's more qualified here than you four. But remember, we're talking about the Prophet's safety here. Under no circumstance forget that or both your current and future lives will be forfeit."

Sirexx knew this very well. One of the other squads had accidentally led a group of revenge-hungry tauren to the Promise after a thus-far successful mission. The tauren had attacked one of the prophets but didn't manage to kill him. However, the squad was directly accused of the accident. The punishment was dire: the four were burned outside the central building after the prophets had cast a curse, causing the fires to burn their souls as if they were a part of their bodies. Losing one's soul was the worst punishment a qiraji could suffer: losing one's place in the Creator's promised land of eternal joy and power was an ever-present horror in each and every qiraji's life.

The accident had disturbed Sirexx greatly. Though he knew Ahn'Qiraj's laws and punishments, he wasn't sure if such an eternal curse was really needed and seeing it in action was a harsh warning to the others. And that was just an ordinary prophet from the Promise. Stakes would certainly be higher with _the_ Prophet _._ Sirexx decided to voice his concerns outside.

"Let's hope we know what we're doing, Ke'nir. Failing this task will claim our time in this life and eternity in the next. I'm not sure if I'm ready for this."

"I bet Skeram could do even worse. We can only pray the night elves don't do anything surprising… I'd guess we're faster than any of them but considering stakes, I'm worried."

"So what? We're talking about the Prophet here. Be proud you are in charge of his safety and stop whining. Many would give anything to even see Skeram!"

"Aren't you worried Ra'jol? We have but the highest of respects toward him but you can't deny the risks."

"I cannot, Sirexx. But if we let the Prophet get hurt, then we deserve everything he decides to do."

Sirexx sighed. He couldn't deny Ra'jol's logic as it was what was demanded from the lower castes. Yet it didn't make him feel any better. Whatever would happen, Sirexx prayed he and his comrades were up to the task.


	8. The City of Ancient Tales

The City of Ancient Tales

Unlike the desert nights of Tanaris, Un'goro was a furnace even after nightfall. Aside from temperature, the jungle crater was an extremely unhospitable environment. If you didn't drown in some surprise swamp, you could easily end up as some devilsaur's meal. A group of gladiators, who were the night elf delegation's escorts warned the ambassador that the passing of Un'goro should be made during one day's march. The elves', whose knowledge of the area was close to zero, had really no choice but to accept the gladiator squad leader's proposal to spend the night on the top of the road which began the descent to Un'goro.

Danoxx's squad was observing the night elves' behavior and studying their gestures in case they seemed suspicious or if they spoke a little too much between themselves. However, Danoxx thought they seemed quite genuine and probably were the messengers they claimed to be. They were very nervous, probably because of their hosts. However, if the qiraji intended to kill them, why hadn't they done it already?

"Seems like we won't be going any further today." announced Danoxx while monitoring their escorts' actions from behind a rock about a hundred meters behind the elves. The four Unseen worked in secrecy to make their observations more effective.

"Just as we thought, then. Orshash isn't a fool and no one spends more time in Un'goro than is absolutely necessary." Ke'nir's voice was stoic and weary.

"And that means that our shift is over. I doubt the elves will wake up earlier than us so I wouldn't worry about that."

Sirexx took a look down the hill. The jungle opened far below him and went on as far has he could see. In the far distance he could see a volcano passing smoke to the dark blue sky. The sun had set some time ago but there was still some light to be seen. The western wind brought voices from the jungle, most notably those of monkeys and parrots but also some rare roars of devilsaurs.

"Anxious to see our home again, Sirexx?"

Sirexx turned to see Ke'nir approach him.

"I consider Promise as my home these days but yes, it's great to see Ahn'Qiraj again. It's been so long… It sure is ancestral and first home of every qiraji and I've spent most of my life there. Yet that wasn't what I was thinking about."

"Still worried about our mission? Don't worry, we'll make it."

"I'm not that worried about the mission itself anymore. But… isn't this what we should have waited for all our lives? To serve the Prophet in person, to be of use to him?"

"I guess so… after all, we're trained to serve Ahn'Qiraj as well as we can and how can we do it better than by serving the Prophet?"

"You're right but, is this mission the pinnacle of our entire lifetime? After this, is everything we do meaningless? Sometimes I'm wondering what all this is for…"

Ke'nir sat down next to Sirexx. The night was falling fast and it was getting darker by the minute. The western wind was getting stronger and the air was getting more humid. Ke'nir took a look at Sirexx. He was lost in thought.

"Many of us have died trying to protect the way of life we have now, Sirexx. I don't think we have a right to complain about our part. Besides, don't we have everything we need?"

"I'm not complaining, Ke'nir. I know how much worse life can be. Ahn'Qiraj provides all the material we need since our success rate has been so good. Yet, that's it. We're Unseen and that's all we'll ever be."

Ke'nir took a deep breath and concentrated his gaze on a tree from which a group of bats were beginning their nightly hunt down in the jungle far below them.

"You know, I've thought about it myself. But I'm okay with that. Just ask yourself: what part of your life would you want to change?"

Sirexx was taken aback by the question. What indeed?

"I… I'm not sure. I mean, my squad's excellent and we're all quite wealthy due to our cooperation. Perhaps I should be content with my part, but I truly cannot. It's as if I wanted to… get higher in the caste system, to get closer to Rajaxx or Skeram… Yet it's hard to imagine why that would be better than the present. I guess if I were there, I'd want back to my current life."

"We both know that's impossible, Sirexx. We're born as what we're meant to be and there's no changing that. And I don't think it pays off to think about things you can't change."

Sirexx knew Ke'nir was right. The red-hooded qiraji had often been the most realistic and thoughtful one of the squad. He was easily the physically weakest of the four but he made it up in quick thinking and well thought-out tactics. His comrades respected his advice highly.

"I do take pride in our efforts to protect Ahn'Qiraj and its leaders. Yet I cannot see where we're headed. I'd like to find a new greater goal to strife for."

The wind was beginning to die down. A loud howl of a hyena could be heard far behind them. The clouds were disintegrating, revealing a flawless night sky.

"What about you Ke'nir? Are you happy with what you have?"

Ke'nir took a glance at a small pond whose surface was illuminated by starlight. Sirexx's question evoked some questions in the one-antennaed Unseen's mind. He could somehow understand Sirexx's grievances but in light of their new mission and stable position, he knew better than to strive higher.

"I don't worry about unchangeable things, let's put it that way. I've never had any major problems in my life but I've seen many others, some my friends, to suffer from low income, shitty squad members, disease or loneliness. While nearly everyone gets over them eventually, some won't. Disabled person's part in Ahn'Qiraj is terrible, Sirexx. When I compare my life with theirs, I cannot help but be content to be who I am. As you said, there's no way up, only down."

Sirexx went silent. He knew Ke'nir was right but he simply couldn't find the fullest passion completing ordinary missions without a great reward. Sure, this time he had a reason to do his best but considering future missions, he didn't know.

"Sirexx… have your dreams been normal lately?"

Sirexx was highly surprised by the question. He could come up with only one possibility: Ke'nir had heard the whispers as well.

"I think I know what you mean, Ke'nir. You've heard ominous but welcoming voices in your dreams, am I right?"

Ke'nir was stunned by Sirexx's answer. The red hooded qiraji didn't really know what to expect but certainly not a near exact match to his dream.

"Y…yes, I have. But…how? And why didn't you sound at all surprised?"

Sirexx took a look at Ke'nir's stunned face who in turned saw an anxious yet also thoughtful look on his comrade's face.

"I've had these voices for many nights now and they've been getting stronger by the day, Ke'nir. I've wanted to speak about them to someone but I wasn't sure how anyone would react so I've kept them to myself. I'm sorry I have."

"But what does this mean? I feared I was going crazy but it seems I'm not the only one. What have the voices told you?"

"I don't really remember but I still feel troubled yet excited about them."

"It's as if they're a calling for something great, something immensely important… yet I cannot but feel something's not quite right."

Sirexx was stunned. Even though neither of them remembered any of the details, their experiences matched too well for it to be a coincidence.

"This means Danoxx and Ra'jol may have had the same dreams as well."

Ke'nir took a quick look at his comrades. The two slept by a rock near the edge of the cliff.

"Possibly. I know we probably have a common guess but… who do you think the voice belongs to?" Sirexx asked.

The night was too dark to see anything but the silhouettes of the most nearby trees in the crater.

"I…guess there's only one possibility. It must be the Creator."

Even though the two knew it already, saying the guess aloud seemed to make the air around them much colder.

"Something's going to happen." whispered Sirexx.

"Yes. Hopefully something wonderful." answered Ke'nir.

* * *

Penetrating the seemingly endless jungle of Un'goro took a whole day even with the safer paths used by the qiraji. Due to Un'goro being such an important and central area in the kingdom of Ahn'Qiraj, the qiraji had marked the somewhat safe and easily passable routes. That didn't mean much though, as there were still bogs everywhere and the possibility of finding oneself in a predator's stomach wasn't far-fetched.

However, this time the passing was mainly peaceful apart from an aggressive basilisk and some hopeful buzzards. On the western side of the crater was a similar mountain path out of Un'goro as there was on Tanaris' side of the crater. From the top of it opened a desolate view: desert as far as eye could see, its sands being even more lifeless than Tanaris.

However, for Danoxx it was a sweet homecoming. He had lived far longer in Silithus than any of his squad members and had developed a highly emotional bond to the place. The sand, the winds and every landmark in the desert possessed a memory: either of his old friends, of success, of nostalgia and of glory. That's because Danoxx was much older than the others and he thus had had more time to make memories for the time to make sweeter. So many years had passed since he had last seen his true homeland. It moved him deeply, but he didn't let it show. He knew the others felt the same way.

The most important landmark southwards toward the city was a high mountain rising from the desert. The qiraji called it the Northern Guardian or Nefil'Zarek in qiraji. Sirexx saw the night elves growing anxious of their surroundings. The mountain was surrounded by giant silithid hives to the east and south and their nightmarish giant leg-like spires could be seen from kilometers away. Even the sight alone was enough to fill any non-insectoid race with horror and disgust. Their towering presence formed horrendous landmarks here and there, but any outsider would rather starve than go close enough to use them as guidance.

The sun rose all too quickly but before the night elves' journey to the capital was over, it began to fall at an agonizingly slow rate. The day was already turning into a night when the seemingly endless desert finally reached its end. First, from the horizon rose distant mountains that were a highly welcome sight after the journey through Silithus. It took hours before the mountains seemed to get any closer and at first, nothing of interest seemed to form in the range's shadow.

The sun's last rays were about to take off when Sirexx could see a highly familiar and beloved sight. Amid the sand dunes could be seen a giant spire reaching up to the skies. Soon, a few smaller obelisks appeared on its side paving way for a giant purple dome which was the first building to be seen. The last light made the dome turn to bright gold before the rays vanished behind the western mountains. Beneath the dome was a high hill, surrounded by walls to block further sight into the city in case of trespassers.

 _Ah, the Great Temple stands as majestic as ever… Its dome is a wondrous first sight of the capital. Sometimes I regret that there has to be all these walls surrounding it but security's first. No outsider must be allowed to see the city._

The last timeSirexx had been here had been the aftermath of his failed mission which had cost his former comrades their lives. That had been five years ago so it was a real delight for Sirexx to visit his old home. Apart from Danoxx, Ra'jol was the most excited to see the seat of qiraji power again, due to his admiration of the qiraji state. Ke'nir and Sirexx had less personal feelings towards the city but the city bore many memories, both dear and loathed, to them all.

The night elves looked in awe and concern at the mighty walls as a group of qiraji battleguards approached them from the hexagon-shaped main gate. They were feminine-looking, winged qiraji whose purpose was to act as a sort of support to the gladiators on the battlefield. Even if they looked delicate, only a fool would think them harmless. They were highly skilled with swords and their ability to fly made them fearsome warriors.

"I take it that you're the ones escorting the night elf delegation?" asked the apparent leader of the group.

"Not many other night elves around here, eh?" asked Orshash, the gladiator leader.

Sirexx noticed the night elves' fear grew by the minute as the qirajis talked in their alien language. They were prepared to die at any moment for their race but they hoped it wouldn't be here, not this time.

"You're on time." The battleguard turned to the night elves and switched to taur'ahe so that they could understand her words. "You should feel honored to be here. No outsider has ever seen these walls before and you're here simply because the Prophet allows it."

The apparent head of the night elf delegation stepped forward. The battleguard had a highly displeased, even hostile look on her face.

"What you say might be true but we didn't come here just to be looked upon. We came for peace. When shall we see your Prophet?" asked the leader with firm yet shaking voice.

"Skeram sees no one at this time of day. He will give you his time tomorrow, at noon. Before that, however, you will be under practical house arrest as we can't let any outsider see the ancient city."

The night elf seemed unhappy and ready to protest but resigned quickly. He should have expected no less from these primitive insects. He simply nodded and spoke no further words.

"Well, if we're done with chattering, you may enter the city. However, you will have your eyes covered while we take you to your waiting house. The rest of you, good work bringing our guests here."

* * *

The first thing one saw inside the walls was a huge square with hexagon gates leading to different districts. It was surrounded by huge walls and pillars, each telling a legend of the qiraji history. The square was very wide and was a central transit place between various parts of the city. The gladiator district was to the right, the Unseen to the left and behind both of them lay various free-time accommodations. The prophets and other high-rankers lived in a distinct section separated from the main city, near the Great Temple. The temple itself looked like a part of the city but was actually completely isolated from it, the gate being even more tightly guarded than the city's and it was located in a different location than the main gate. A place of which even very few qiraji knew anything about.

Wherever you looked, the architecture was monolithic, branded by obelisks covered with writings in the ancient qiraji language, intelligible only for prophets. Some of them were floating in the air, held by groups of crystals below them. They served as communicating tools and data gatherers for the prophets. Every building was centuries, or even millennia old and whatever their purpose currently was, they had to be very piously preserved and their owners' activity was strictly observed by the prophets. Whereas in the qiraji settlements, like the Promise, you could do business quite freely, but Ahn'Qiraj was a different story. Here everything was enforced as per Creator's wishes. From any point of view you looked, Ahn'Qiraj was a city of ancient legends, enchanting beauty and the cradle of the qiraji culture.

And the one true home for Sirexx and his squad. They were silent in order to respect the capital's grace. The Unseen quarter was also centered around a square, surrounded by huge stone buildings and obelisks. They only had started to recollect their emotions and memories when they entered the home quarter. Even if they didn't have a permanent house in the city, the Unseen had their own inn where they could spend a day or two. It was located in the southwestern side of the district, surrounded by the city walls. The building was very simple: a three storey stone building with few windows. Above the door was the symbol of the Unseen: a knife-wielding scarab shrouded by a cloud of sand. After the long trip, they were more than happy to rest for a night. But not before some good celebration to forget that tomorrow could very well be the death of them all.

The morning dawned with a great sandstorm in its heels. One could say that the desert appeared to be eager to swallow Ahn'Qiraj whole. The streets were so covered with sand that they looked like brown walls which seemed to appear outside the buildings. The wind was definitely dangerous and moving outside was a risk. However, despite the sandstorm and the deep silence in the streets, certain things couldn't be postponed.

The night elves simply could not stay in the city any longer and the prophets, headed by Skeram were intent on giving them the answer to their proposal. The night elves had spent a restless night, wondering what kind of future their visit would bring. The fact that they were trapped in a windowless house in the enemy capital didn't help to raise their spirits. Late in the morning, they were taken to the large building at the back of the city as outsiders were not allowed to enter the temple grounds where the prophets' quarters were. The building was usually used as the high command center of the qiraji army and its generals' residence, and its strategists' room was large enough to house the delegation, the prophets and the security. Danoxx's squad had had a longer than usual night, but the importance of this day had ensured none of them would sleep in.

The Prophet himself arrived last. The first sign of him approaching was the dimming of the lights around the room. Then his elite guard entered the room, ensuring everything was in order. The guards were part of the smallest caste, the Protectors. They resembled the silithid more than any other qiraji, their shells being larger and more protective than any other caste's. They walked highly crouched and had no noticeable neck. However, their high intelligence was deceiving considering their looks. Their numbers were few and their abilities unknown to outsiders. After ensuring total respect and silence, they called the Prophet himself enter the room.

Everything was set. Today's meeting was a one that would shape the very history of Kalimdor.


	9. Declaration of the Shifting Sands

Declaration of the Shifting Sands

The First Prophet's arrival silenced the room completely, making every qiraji in the room fall to their knees in complete respect. Sirexx felt like he could literally get strangled in the web of emotions he felt at Skeram's presence.

 _He's even grander than I could have ever imagined! He must be at least twice as tall as Sa'rol and four times my height! And his cape is covered in powerful artifacts without a doubt! Danoxx's heirloom is but a toy compared to any of those of Skeram's! And his face radiates total authority and command. In addition, he's one of the living legends, savior of our people… and now he stands in front of me! How am I even fit to be here?_

"This is the last timeI tolerate you for not kneeling before me, insects. Bow!" Skeram's low and and resonating voice echoed through the hall, making the other qirajis shiver. The night elves first seemed intent on obeying but the leader ordered them to stand their ground.

"We don't grovel in front of anyone demanding it. You can count on us not to disrespect or harm you or your empire. But we came as ambassadors and we ask for mutual respect." offered the white-haired night elf with conciliatory yet firm voice. The other qiraji stayed silent. Skeram's antennae tugged quickly at the night elf's words. The stranger was clearly a brave one.

Sirexx could smell Ra'jol's agitation. The qiraji sense of smell could separate certain emotions from the overall sensation. Ra'jol clearly wished to crush the elves but stayed back. Ke'nir and Danoxx simply observed the tall elf's movements, searching for a threat.

"Know that you'll grovel before our might before long. But if you're so pompous, do what you want, it doesn't matter. What're the names of your delegation members?" Skeram's voice was extremely cold and self-confident. It felt like every word he said would go down in history as something of great importance. The apparent night elf leader was the first one to talk.

"I am Valstann Staghelm, son of our acting archdruid. I represent my father and all the druids of Vordanaar."

"My name is Shandris Feathermoon, the second-in-command of the Sentinels. I serve directly under my general, Tyrande Whisperwind." The female night elf stood to Valstann's left side. She called Tyrande simply a general as she feared mentioning her position as High Priestess to Skeram wouldn't be wise.

"And I am Lorekeeper Eldrath of the Shen'dralar. Our prince Tortheldrin personally asked me to join this delegation. I represent merely my own people." The elder lorekeeper seemed weary yet worried about the situation he was in.

"And I am Prophet Skeram, the spiritual leader of my people and I answer only to the Emperors and our Creator. The first thing I must ask of you is what brought you here?" The question was purely for show but he wanted to keep his subjects in the faith that the night elves were accusing Ahn'Qiraj wrongly.

Valstann knew this. However, what could he say? Nothing he could say would convince the other qiraji otherwise and he was negotiating with the Prophet, not his underlings.

"With regret, I must declare your expansion and raids unacceptable. We cannot stand by while you turn the entire south into your domain." Sirexx gasped in shock. The stranger's accusation was surely a wrong one. The qiraji were simply helping their allies and collecting artifacts wherever they could be found. Perhaps not always fairly but that didn't concern the elves. The sensation from his comrades was that of similar confusion. Everyone waited for Skeram's answer.

The Prophet's expression didn't change much. His multiple jaws closed deeper into his face and his eyes radiated with determination. The giant qiraji's answer came with firm yet unthreatening voice.

"Your accusations are incorrect, elves. Our allies help us due to their free will and the "raids", as you call them, are us taking toys from those who cannot use them properly. You surely don't claim those pathetic savages use them more wisely than us?"

Eldrath was the first one to answer. Of the three delegation members, the old night elf had the most personal experience of the qiraji. He had been assaulted by them decades ago, when they were still fairly unknown to other races when he had been returning from an unsuccessful trip to introduce arcane magic to Mulgore. He had survived the encounter but now that he was among the attackers, the memories flowed back.

"Even if they lack the grandeur of your culture, you cannot possibly say that you may take whatever you want? I've been targeted too by our underlings so does that make me a barbarian?" His agitation grew as he progressed.

Skeram tilted his left to the right and hit one of his legs audibly to the ground. The conversation went as he had planned.

"Who knows? We only target those who benefit our cause, the only cause worth working for. I cannot know why you were attacked but it probably wasn't a mistake."

Shandris couldn't believe her ears. Even if what the qiraji was saying was true, why would he say it out loud? Was he even trying to negotiate or was he just playing with them?

Sirexx could smell his comrades being on alert but otherwise they didn't show any strong feelings about Eldrath's claim. The Prophet was holding the line Ahn'Qiraj stood for, the rest was up to the night elves.

Valstann's face looked stoic but his mind too was busy trying to figure what Skeram was up to. Why would he allow them to enter the city if this was his attitude?

"Does that mean you consider us an enemy along with every other race on Kalimdor? Attacking everyone with no regard for their freedom or life isn't the way a civilized race would act! What are you after? Why do you do this?"

This was the question why the trio had come to Ahn'Qiraj in the first place. To find out the qiraji's main objective and try to negotiate a solution. Everything depended on Skeram's answer.

Ra'jol was very content with the way the meeting was going. The Prophet was defending their Creator's and their homeland's honor. He could see that his respect and belief in their leadership was correct. Danoxx and Ke'nir, too, were highly impressed by their leader's appearance but they were puzzled by his handling of the situation.

When Skeram spoke again, his voice was very inquisitive and demanding. His eyes were locked on Valstann, seeking to lower his resolve.

"Before I answer that, let me ask you a question: I have heard of a night elf called Dath'Remar Sunstrider. I understand that he chose to leave your people with his followers because of your narrowmindedness regarding his art of arcane magic. What does sending a great hero of your people and his followers to their deaths because of their preference of magic tell about the night elve _s_?"

Eldrath gasped at the mention of the Shen'dralar's most revered legend. He was the last of the great night elf wizards and as such, the last relic of a glorious era when the night elves' arcane powers were highly respected in every corner of Kalimdor. The era of which memory the Shen'dralar tried to keep alive.

Valstann was also highly surprised. How did his host know of Dath'Remar, the last leader of the Highborne who were the servants of Queen Azshara and the great wizards of the Kaldorei? Dath'Remar deserted his insane queen and became one of most notable leaders of the resistance that saved Azeroth from the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients nine millennia ago. Dath'Remar and his Highborne tried to integrate into the new night elf society but the divide between them and others forced the Highborne to sail to the east, never to be heard of again. What did Skeram hope to gain from bringing him up?

"Dath'Remar and his followers were a grave danger to Vordanaar. The Kaldorei still honor their part in beating the Legion greatly but their addiction to magic drove them mad and turned them against us. Exile was the only option we had." Valstann's voice was full of regret but resonated with the belief that his words were true.

Skeram however, wasn't done yet with the subject.

"That's not the entire truth, night elf. Your people's embrace of druidism was total and left no room for dissent. Dath'Remar took his time to try to bridge your differences but you never listened. Their total separation from Nordrassil and the new Well further fed their despair. Can you really say that the exile was the only way?" Skeram's antennae moved back and forth but his jaws became more relaxed.

Valstann frowned. This turn of events was unexpected.

"Yes. It was the greed of the Highborne that brought the demons to our world in the first place. How could we grant them access to the source of arcane power if they couldn't control their desires? We simply couldn't risk another demon invasion."

Skeram's eyes resonated great pleasure playing with the delegation. However, the trio couldn't tell it as qiraji eyes differed greatly from that of night elves'. Sirexx, on the other hand, noticed it but couldn't tell why Skeram acted the way he did.

"We both know they could never have done it without the original Well of Eternity. The new one is much less powerful and Nordrassil suppresses its powerful completely. You knew they were harmless, yet that didn't matter. Your druidism simply left no room for any other kind of magic, I take it. What makes your cause so noble, may I ask?"

Shandris took a look at Valstann and whispered something in his ear. No qiraji in the room heard her words and Valstann simply nodded at her statement. They were both concerned about Skeram's intentions but continued to play his game.

"Druidism is a power generated from the nature itself. Arcane magic is an opposite of life as its raw power destroys every organism who cannot control it. We decided to abandon it in order to stay closer to natural state of things. We've had our share of controlling powers we can't understand or fully control. But enough of this! This isn't why we're here." Valstann sounded agitated and decided to take the initiative of the conversion. Eldrath took a look at him, clearly displeased about the praise of druidism but didn't object due to Vordanaar's leading role in their alliance.

"It is. You came to seek our motivations for our actions. I wanted to let you come up with some of them. No intelligent race is fully divergent of another, night elf. Our motives are similar to yours even if our culture isn't. Hopefully remembering Dath'Remar's fate sheds some light into our way of understanding the world."

Valstann gasped. What was Skeram saying? That the qiraji considered the night elves a threat? That they were waging war to promote their religion? Shandris and Eldrath seemed taken aback also. On the other hand, Skeram spoke less secretively than they initially expected but his words were also much more bizarre.

"We have a great mission. What do you know about us or our origin?" The giant qiraji wished to retain the control of the conversation while at the same time making the elves understand.

"Very little. You simply appeared some decades ago from nothingness and quickly started attacking others. We suspect you have some kind of connection to the ancient Aqir but nothing more."

"Aqir were our ancient forefathers but we've changed physically and culturally since them. However, our purpose hasn't. The Aqir weren't competitors for world domination for nothing. They were created by a living and almighty Creator. He crafted the Aqir from the silithid in his image and granted them intelligence and a part of his powers."

Valstann didn't really know what so say. In a matter of minutes he had learn more from the qiraji than any other night elf, save for his companions. However, he was very concerned with the turn the conversation was going.

"After the fall of their great empire, the Creator showed himself to us once again, gave us purpose. I was created at that time, along with the Emperors, our true leaders, to lead our people to glory and absolution from our predecessors' failure."

Sirexx was dumbstruck. He knew the story in principle but hearing the Prophet admit his Creator-given role and birth was something he hadn't known. All of his companions were equally surprised but they didn't let their concentration fail.

Shandris had fallen deep into her thoughts. She wondered who this Creator was. Skeram was very confident of his cause. The only "god" capable of creating anything, at least to her knowledge, was the night elves' goddess of the moon Elune, whose high priestess Tyrande was like a big sister to Shandris. Could Elune be the qirajis' creator as well?

"Who is this Creator? What do you know about him?" she asked with some hesitation.

Skeram's eyes turned to Shandris. The red qiraji was not pleased with the question.

"He is much more than any of us can possibly imagine. He's much more ancient than Kalimdor itself and more powerful than the demon horde which invaded Kalimdor nine thousand years ago! His true appearance is hidden even from me and the form he chooses to show to me is none of your business. But unlike your Elune, our god is real and has a concrete physical form though right now he waits deep in sleep in our glorious temple."

Sirexx gasped. He hadn't even thought about Skeram and Creator's communication. Especially the Prophet's remark of "true appearance" puzzled him. He could assume many different forms and He had revealed only one of them to Skeram? Given the Creator's mysterious being however, he wasn't too surprised.

Shandris didn't answer. She wasn't satisfied with the Prophet's answer and merely quickly decided that "the Creator" was a false god, probably some demigod or even one of the lost dragon aspects. Malygos' blue dragonflight had been annihilated in the war and he had disappeared in the aftermath of the Sundering, whereas Neltharion who was better known as Deathwing had become one of the war's villains but had been beaten in the end. His recent whereabouts were unknown. Could one of them be the lord of the qiraji?

"You mentioned him waiting for something? What could he possibly be waiting for?" Valstann asked even if he had his own growing fears about the answer.

"For us to fulfill our purpose: to grow enough in strength to make way for His eventual awakening."

The room was filled with silence. Only the voice of receding sandstorm outside could be heard as the night elves finally understood the qirajis' motivation. However, hopefully everything wasn't lost yet…

"So you're planning to attack every other people in Kalimdor to awaken a god whose substance you don't even know? If he's as powerful as you say, couldn't he be an end of all we know, using you as a tool of apocalypse?"

Sirexx's recent dreams flowed into his mind as the night elf's words greeted the Unseen's ears. He was disturbed about Valstann's remarks but they were cut short by Skeram's thundering voice.

"AN OUTSIDER HAS NO RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CREATOR, LET ALONE MOCK HIM! HE IS AN INCARNATION OF EVERYTHING GOOD AND JUST IN THIS WORLD! IF YOU WISH TO SHARE A PART OF HIS GLORY, VORDANAAR MUST ACCEPT HIM AS THEIR REDEEMER AS WELL!" Skeram's antennae were straight with rage, his black eyes radiated and he bowed forward to the elves.

"And if we don't?" Valstann tried to keep his voice calm but he knew now the negotiation was practically over. The elves' choices were conversion under the qiraji's dominance or war.

"Then you will fall in time after the south. As you claim druidism's supremacy in the world, we claim the Creator's. Your future will be as bleak as the Highbornes' was in your world!"

Eldrath gritted his teeth in great annoyance. He had been the least hopeful to begin with and his loathing for the qiraji only grew. He decided to make a move he knew wasn't wise but felt it necessary. He was a highly skilled mage and despite his age still very fast. In a blink of an eye he cast a barrage of arcane magic at Skeram, hoping to wound him enough so that Valstann and Shandris could finish him of. He knew he wouldn't survive this but ridding the qiraji of their leader was worth it. He was just about to launch the blast at Skeram…

…before a chela grabbed his hand and a powerful kick forced him to his knees. Eldrath could feel his neck being pressured heavily.

"Don't even think about it, elf scum! None shall harm the Prophet!"

When Valstann finally realized what was happening, it was already over. He only saw Sirexx holding his companion captive and he knew better than to attack the Unseen. He would never win against all the surrounding qiraji. The best he could hope for was for his companions to escape with their lives.

"Release him, Sirexx! That fool will meet his end before long but not here. We need these worms to relay our message." Skeram spoke in qiraji as the elves didn't need to understand his words. Seeing Eldrath released, Valstann relaxed somewhat but the outcome of the talks was a huge disappointment.

"Prophet, is war your final answer?" He tried one last time but resignation was clear in his voice.

Skeram nodded in confirmation. "Yes. The time for the Creator's awakening has arrived and we'll cleanse Kalimdor of all non-believers. Unless you embrace Him, there's little to discuss."

Valstann looked at him with narrow eyes for a moment but then turned towards the door to take his leave. His companions followed his lead.

"You're still not going anywhere on your own. Your new guards are waiting you outside but you must cover your eyes now."

The elves hesitantly did as was ordered and exited the huge door which resembled a scarab. Sirexx was extremely relieved he had managed to stop Eldrath's attack but his fear of the coming overshadowed it. The approaching war was a fact now but would he or any of his companions see its end?


	10. The Eve of Onslaught

The Eve of Onslaught

Things were changing fast in the Promise. More barracks were appearing daily as the outpost was designated as the main base of action on the eastern front of the approaching war. The settlement received new personnel quickly and by now hosted a full-sized army. Also the silithid hives to the south were being expanded because the smaller insectoids were ordered to increase their numbers. A wall was rising around the Promise to withstand a possible siege. Sirexx and Idh'lash were standing on top of the completed section.

"Seems like things could be beginning to heat up any day now. Barrens are off-limits to us now and Thousand Needles doesn't look much better. I just returned from there and the taurens seem to be gathering their tribes in the western part of the valley. The night elves are still stationed in the Barrens but probably not for long." Idh'lash looked to the north as if there was something to see there.

Sirexx had returned from Ahn'Qiraj two weeks ago and he had done merely some minor individual missions. Major missions were halted for now because all efforts were directed to prepare for the coming attack.

"Interesting that they blame us for war-mongering yet they're the aggressors. Well, they won't succeed on our soil. I just hope the war will be swift." Sirexx's face or voice didn't bear much joy but he didn't regret the begging of the war.

"Remember the times when we were initiates? All we hoped would be a chance to distinguish ourselves and earn praise from the others. We were some of the best new Unseen in years and that knowledge was all we needed at the time." A qiraji smile was completely unrecognizable for any other race but Idh'lash's face and antennae resonated in nostalgia.

"Uklass and Alarash or the others weren't too bright. Always too eager to get to action without a plan. But you're right, we could redeem our younger selves' ambitions in the coming weeks. But more importantly, let's just try to survive."

"Indeed, we don't know the night elves' true strength yet…" Idh'lash's sentence was cut short by a wasp coming to relay a message.

"Another scouting mission to the Thousand Needles. Hopefully Ti'lesh doesn't fuck it up again, I simply can't stand that clown!"

"A recruit like him isn't ready for the kind of missions we two are doing… Well, good luck anyway."

* * *

Ke'nir and Ra'jol were doing an easy if tedious task: overseeing construction of a new network of silithid hives in northern Tanaris, near the pass to Simmering Flats. The Unseen usually did missions in groups of four but if they were easy enough, the squads could be split temporarily. A hive in the northern Tanaris would be a highly powerful tool when trying to surround the enemies or at least cut their escape route.

"These morons are so damn civilized, I'm so enjoying my stay here!" Ra'jol murmured while kicking some drones out of his way.

"Don't we all? These hives are filthy and extremely unsophisticated. Well, someone must do these jobs too. At least silithid are fast builders."

Indeed, the hive's interior was almost complete and the tunnels grew immensely every day. The firefly-like silithid had already arrived and the hive was well-lighted because of them. The queens were in their chambers in the deepest parts of the network ready to produce more silithid for the coming war.

"And sadly a useful help in battles. But I won't let my distaste of these animals overshadow the sweetness of these times. I can't wait to meet the elves in battlefield and to crush them in Creator's glory!" Ra'jol' was getting impatient. Ever since their return from Ahn'Qiraj, he had gotten even more fanatic and jingoist than before, probably because his dream of making Ahn'Qiraj Kalimdor's dominating power was getting so close.

"Don't think the coming weeks are going to be easy. It's highly possible that we're both going to die and even though we'll most certainly win, all of our cities could be destroyed! I'm not saying the Creator's awakening isn't worth all the coming sacrifices but we must remember it won't be all easy and happy times." Ke'nir's voice was calm but bore a serious tone. He was growing increasingly concerned about the future due to changes in Ra'jol and the rapid embrace of the war by most of the qiraji.

"Don't tell me you're scared? You've proven you're too clever for that! We'll march victoriously through Kalimdor and the word of the Creator will soon be preached in Vordanaar itself!" Ra'jol's chelae moved vividly as the grey Unseen spoke. Ke'nir knew his comrade was too excited to listen to him. He simply hoped and genuinely believed that the prophets were more sensible.

* * *

Danoxx was attending a meeting of the officers of the Prophet's Promise. It was held in the second floor of the house that also hosted Sa'rol's office and headed by General Rajaxx's second-in-command, Bigadier General Pax-lish. He was in charge of the war preparations in Tanaris. Others attending were all the squad leaders and prophets (who were only observers due to them answering directly to Skeram, not Rajaxx) of the Promise.

"We've managed to fortify Tanaris even faster than we could have hoped for. Our enemies have no hope of conquering the area now." Pax'lish seemed very content with himself and the situation.

"But why are we fortifying our own lands? Why aren't we just going to crush the elves and the cows?" One of the squad leaders asked clearly willing to go on the offensive.

"Why would we? They are the aggressors, let them attack us first. But we're not facing them here."

The attendees were puzzled by the Brigadier General's remark. If they weren't attacking, what other place than Tanaris would be preferable to as a battlefield?

"There's no reason to take extra casualties some should make nature do some of the work for us. The elves or taurens don't know about our positions, thanks to you for killing the spies, so we could lure them all the way to Silithus! We know the safe way through Un'goro and the Silithus-Feralas passes but they don't!"

The squad leaders seemed highly taken aback from the proposition. Surely Pax'lish didn't mean it? Danoxx could see the Brigadier General's idea but he still resented the thought of fighting on the heartland of the qiraji.

"That gives us a huge advantage. Their supply lines will be extremely weak, making them vulnerable to attrition. They'll never pass Un'goro without large casualties or take the heat of Silithus for long."

A large yellowish qiraji on Danoxx's left side noted a flaw with the plan.

"Our enemies are not stupid. They know the dangers of our lands so why would they follow us to their deaths? Surely they'll notice something is wrong?"

Pax'lish had expected this question. Rajaxx was not a one to underestimate his enemy so he had thought of this.

"We engage in limited skirmishes with them, and pretend to flee to our home. The skirmishes have to be convincing enough to look like battles, however, so we'll have to suffer some casualties on the way."

"But are we strong enough to crush their entire army completely even in Silithus? There must be tens of thousands of them coming!" One of the attendees asked with certain concern.

"We will be. This must be kept a secret until then but let's just say that the Emperors have personally created a weapon of extreme strength… the elves will stand no chance against it." Pax'lish grinned greatly in anticipation of what was going to happen.

* * *

"Hmph, it could be days before we see anything interesting! The elves most likely want to prepare with care and I'm not that fond to stand here for the rest of the week!" A red and short Unseen muttered silently but his companion heard it nonetheless. There were five pairs of qiraji manning some the mesas of the Thousand Needles in case the elves begun to advance.

"Be quiet! The enemy must not attack our main force by surprise and to avoid that we must be vigilant! You've just whined all the day and kicking you down the mountain begins to feel appealing!" The bigger Unseen was noticeably enraged at his companion's lack of backbone.

"Don't tell me you're happy just standing here and doing nothing." The red qiraji's question turned into a resigned comment midair and he turned to look at the vast expanse of desert far below him. There was very little wind and the air was terribly hot. A qiraji could take a lot of heat but not infinitely so there would be a change of personnel twice a day.

The duo's turn was nearing its end as was the day itself. The wind was starting to rise and the setting sun made the temperature drop.

The smaller Unseen looked extremely weary and disappointed to find he was right about the day's yield.

"That was that for today. Let's hope tomorrow's not as useless day." He was already going to the ladders leading down from the mesa. Their substituents were already arriving when his companion noticed something of interest.

"Halt! There's movement down there." The light brown qiraji pointed to a base of a mesa few kilometers away.

"Probably a hyena…" The red qiraji said on first glance but then noticed his mistake. It certainly wasn't a hyena but some sort of cat which was not native to qiraji lands. The other Unseen noticed his companion's realization.

"I don't know anything about the animal but it has a rider, a night elf."

"You're right but… what could one enemy do?"

"Nothing but he could have companions around this whole area, meaning they're securing the way for their army!"

The larger one begun to circle the small mesa trying to find another elf. After a few circles, one appeared to their left.

"There's two of them now. What are they…?"

Two more elves appeared from the horizon, moving to southeast, towards Tanaris, as did the others. They were all riding with their weird mounts but only their presence mattered.

"There's already four. They must be up to something. The army must have begun its movement, or something else as significant. Whatever they're planning, we must report to Promise."

* * *

Sirexx dangled his head sleepily. He was never a morning person and thus he heartily disapproved briefings on the morning. Nevertheless, he woke up quickly as the news he was hearing were of utmost importance. Speaking was Commander Et'holash, who was a close subordinate of Pax'lish.

"Nearly every group stationed in the Thousand Needles have reported enemy movement during the night. Their main force hasn't shown itself yet but dozens of their scouts implicate it's imminent."

The audience was silent. Excitement was the defining mood in the room but also an amount of concern and fear could be sensed from the twitching of their antennae. Sirexx himself was one of the first ones to know of the coming conflict so he had accepted it more readily than his comrades. He wasn't exactly calm but he rather thought of ways how to prepare for the coming weeks.

"Which means it's our time to leave for the front. But, unlike you may think, we won't fortify the pass from Shimmering Flats. We're going for a war of attrition, starving them one by one until they're but a shadow of their original strength!" Et'holash's voice was triumphant and signaled extreme trust in the victory.

Sirexx was happy with the idea. An open war with the elves would certainly cost a lot of qiraji lives. Who knows, maybe they could even surrender when the situation got too tough?

"The plan is likely going to change along the way so I won't go into details right now. All that you have to know now, is you're castes' gathering points. Gladiators, report to the border pass's eastern side. Unseen, your place is on a silithid hive south of the pass, and battleguards' to west from it. Your units' prophets will be there waiting for you."

There were twenty simultaneous briefings but it didn't make much sense to Sirexx that his comrades (except Danoxx due to his position) would be on another meeting. Maybe they hadn't returned from their mission yet?"

"In case everything is clear, leave as quickly as you can. The town must be empty in an hour. Make the Creator proud."

Sirexx noted to himself. So this is how everything's going to start. He felt no fear but he hoped everything would go as smoothly as they had before.

 _Danoxx, Ra'jol, Ke'nir… we can do this! As long as we can trust each other, we won't fall. I know we're ready for everything, if only we only keep our heads calm and cooperation as it has always been._


	11. First Battle, First Mistake

First Battle, First Mistake

"It seems the first elves have begun entering the pass. They clearly expect a surprise attack at any moment from the hills… A shame they aren't getting it!" Sa'rol announced quietly to Danoxx's and Va'rel's squads who had been under his guidance in the Promise and now in the battlefield. They were stationed at a silithid hive's northern end a few kilometers from the pass. The message of mobilization had reached the ears of every qiraji and they had arrived in time to the rendezvous point.

"How long until we get to the action? We were promised some pathetic "skirmishes" but I'm beginning to doubt they're not going to start until the enemy reaches Ahn'Qiraj!" Va'rel was an extremely impatient and authoritarian squad leader who had long considered Danoxx as his rival due to their different leading methods. Va'rel's team had performed admirably in their missions but so had Danoxx's. The former wished to prove his way of leading was preferable to his rival's.

"I agree but then again I've never understood the gladiators myself due to their eccentric view of strategy. If you want to know more about our attack schedule, I advise you to ask Brigadier General Pax'lish. But I highly doubt we're joining the others in all-out attack." Sa'rol clearly disliked questions he could not answer but he still wished to convey everything he knew.

"Don't worry Va'rel, you'll get your share in no time, unless the elves are too tough for you!" Danoxx grinned to Va'rel who was clearly agitated by the other squad leader's remark.

"Be quiet, moron! You're alive merely because of your team but you're simply a bad joke of a leader!" Va'rel spat the words out of his mouth.

"This is war and you simply cannot compete with each other. We need absolute solidarity between our forces to succeed and I will not allow you two to spoil your teams' cooperation." Sa'rol turned to face the two high ambushers. His voice was grim and he clearly meant what he said.

Danoxx knew Va'rel would love to see him dead but not at a cost of victory. Va'rel loved Ahn'Qiraj even more than he despised Danoxx and that knowledge was enough for the latter at this point.

* * *

Pax'lish was stationed at the head of a few hundred gladiators not far from the Promise. They would wait an extra hour until they would make their move. The sun was high in the sky and it's burning rays wouldn't work in the night elves' favor.

* * *

"What is this? Where are the damned qiraji? Why would they let us through the pass without resistance?" A young night elf commander wondered to his superior.

"Most odd indeed… Whatever the reason we must not let our guard down but we must also try to engage their army quickly. This is their land and they know it better than any of us. A prolonged war will only help them." Valstann Staghelm had been appointed the field general of the Kaldorei force due to him being one of the only ones to see anything about the qiraji culture and way of thinking. His father had taken the position as a Supreme Leader of the night elf army.

"But we'll never find them in this damned desert! We don't even know if they're near us and we've never learned the location of stronghold!"

Valstann didn't answer but merely looked at the empty horizon. The officer was right: there was no way to engage the qiraji without a chance of them not accepting the fight. His army would probably die in the heat before they found the rumored qiraji city here. He could see only one way to engage the qiraji.

"My father has probably a plan for this scenario but if he doesn't, things get complicated. Then we'll probably have to burn their capital to the ground! The qiraji will surely try to prevent that from happening and they will attack us first."

His aide still wasn't convinced. "But there's the jungle and two deserts between us and Ahn'Qiraj! We'll lose half of our men before we can even get there!"

Valstann knew this. But what could they do? He had believed the qiraji would fight the elves at Tanaris but apparently they were too clever for that. If only his army could reach Silithus quickly enough…

* * *

"They've taken the bait as we knew they would. They're headed for Un'goro." Sa'rol's voice was calm but he clearly wished for some kind of action.

"There isn't much else for them to do. They can't even flee due to silithid blocking the return route." Danoxx commented to Sa'rol's announcement. Va'rel glanced angrily at Danoxx but said nothing.

Another wasp approached Sa'rol. These silithids were taught to only relay messages to prophets in fear of information leaks.

"Hmm, most interesting. It seems like we, the prophets, are going to fight with the gladiators guarding us." Va'rel and Ra'jol seemed displeased but the others wanted to hear the rest before making up their minds.

"Your role is to get rid of any reinforcements or messengers. Also, poisoning their supplies is of utmost importance as is spreading disinformation about their leaders." Most of the eight Unseen seemed content with the tasks as they never expected to fight in an open battle due to their caste.

"I was getting worried if the leaders forgot our caste altogether. We would have been slaughtered in an hour." Ke'nir whispered to Sirexx who simply nodded to his comrade's remark.

"So we're just sitting here when our comrades die for naught?" Va'rel asked enraged.

"Everyone has their place and the Creator chooses that place for each of us. Do you question his choice?" Sa'rol knew this would silence the large qiraji as he was fiercely loyal to the prophets' teachings. Va'rel simply backed down and went silent.

"Don't worry, we may finish off any escaping enemies even if we won't take part in the battle." said one of his squad members.

* * *

Pax'lish waited patiently for the night elves to advance. The Noon had passed and the Sun was burning nearly straight down on the elves. The sand was burning and the sight of mountains vanishing behind the army flattened their spirits heavily. This alone brought an advantage to qiraji due to their better endurance of heat.

"Looks like they're ready for a showdown number one. The desert is beginning to take its toll on them."

The General's aides nodded at his command and began to inform the wasps of the order. Pax'lish himself smiled at his plan's upcoming success.

* * *

Tanaris was not completely a flat body of sand in which every sand dune was similar to other. There were occasional gorges which could be used as pathways through the desert. The elf and tauren army had found one of them and it seemed like a flawless idea to use it. Fandral was confident that the desert would inform him if they were getting ambushed. What he didn't know however, was that very nature of Tanaris was under qiraji influence. The prophets were able to hide the fact from the elves with their magic and thus to keep their presence a secret.

"I can't believe their leaders are confident enough to trust their own skills as the only warning! We won't practically even have to fight." Pax'lish couldn't believe his luck. The druids trusted themselves far too much and that allowed the qiraji to cause them heavy casualties with close to no fatalities among themselves.

"Everything's in place, Neres'htar." One of Pax'lish's aides said to the Brigadier General, using his personal title, given to him by Rajaxx himself. It meant The Bringer of Rebirth in qiraji, in reference to Kalimdor's coming rebirth and the general's enemies' slavery to the qiraji in the next life.

"There has been a change of plan. The enemy has made a blunder and the prophets are in best position to punish them. The gladiators must shield them but the prophets and their magics do the fighting today."

The junior officer nodded and relayed the message to the wasps. Everyone was in place, all that was left was to tell the qiraji forces their roles in the battle. The prophets seldom fought themselves but that didn't mean at all that they wouldn't possess powerful magic.

Valstann felt that something was wrong. He felt a weight upon his soul, like a nameless shadow looming over him and his forces from the land itself. He was deeply afraid as he sensed a nameless horror closing in around him. He knew nothing of its source or why it was there but it chilled him to the bone.

 _What is this? Am I out of my mind or what's wrong? It's like something tries to form a forced communion with my brain…_

 _YOUR SOLDIERS WILL BETRAY YOU, LEAVE YOU TO THE ENEMY JUST TO SAVE THEIR OWN LIVES… YOU CAN'T HELP IT… JUST FLEE, NOW!_

* * *

Valstann gasped heavily and almost fell to the ground. Shandris, who had been appointed as the leader of the Sentinels, noticed Valstann's behavior.

"Is something wrong? You seem like you're about to feint…"

"It's just… I'll be okay from now on." Valstann's voice trembled but he sounded resolute enough to silence Shandris for now.

 _What in the name of Elune was that voice? Extremely cold yet so convincing… Is this a trick of the qiraji or am I just insane?_

A loud beat of a gong interrupted his thoughts. He looked to the sides of the depression and saw a wide line of prophets surrounded by a mass of gladiators. They were spread into a long formation to cause maximum casualties to the massive army.

* * *

Pax'lish stood out of the line to a slightly to a protruding cliff and started the expectedly short conversation.

"I don't know why you would gather into a gorge like that, leaving your flanks wide open. What I do know however, is that your invasion is a huge mistake. Should you march an extra step, not one of you is going to see your homes again, at least not in this life."

The acting archdruid Fandral Staghelm had been granted the highest leadership of the army due to his widely known wisdom and his druidic power, which was second only to Malfurion Stormrage himself. The druid was hugely taken aback by the sudden turn of events but kept his apparent calm.

"According to my son's report we wouldn't most likely see them anyway. If you believe we'll surrender just to become your slaves, you're wrong. We came here to liberate the entire Kalimdor of your taint and we'll accomplish that goal no matter what."

"Save your breath, old man. You'll need all the strength you still have left in you if you wish to survive." Pax'lish grinned in amusement at Fandral's effort to show his position was still salvageable. He stroked his chela together as a mark for his aides to hit the gong for the second time. It would mark the beginning of the attack. The gong in which had a scarab carving in its center, ringed loudly and menacingly, the gorge multiplyimg its echoing sound.

* * *

Sa'rol was positioned a kilometer away from Pax'lish, near the end of the night elf army. He had no clue about what was happening further forward the depression but the ringing sound of the gong told him everything he had to know. It was time to cause some serious damage.

He had been positioned near the end of the army due to his abilities. Every prophet's magic resembled each other's but everyone had a personal area of specializing. Sa'rol's was to create an area in which the victim could not proceed due to the pain which was caused by the horrible memories raised by the prophet's magic. They would not return to fight as the victims believed they did not deserve to live in this world anymore. They would be practically paralyzed for a good while, due to their mind-shattering guilt.

Sa'rol began to cast the spell with his huge chelae. Its area of effect wouldn't be large enough to cover the entire gorge but its invisibility (which prevented the night elves from initially knowing the danger zones) made up for the downside. In a few seconds it seemed like a piece of night literally flew down to the low ground, swallowing up large parts of the army. The numerous spells cast by the prophets had numerous but equally horrifying consequences: they ranged from partial mind control to a physical destruction of the brain and from dark fire to cutting the enemies' ties with whatever force they used as their power.

Initially the night elves and taurens seemed to panic and their ranks to disintegrate. There were cries of pain and horror everywhere and the spread of the black fire caused widespread terror. Valstann couldn't believe his eyes. Surely they couldn't be destroyed in their first fight? Everything was in his father's hands now.

Fandral was initially as horrified as his army but found his courage again quickly. He couldn't let the campaign fail before it truly even had begun. Maybe he could try to collapse the sides of the gorge where the prophets were standing? No, it would cause more harm to his own army than the enemy's… They would simply have to overshadow the qirajis' magic with their own and flee to a higher ground.

"Kaldorei and shu'halo! We've been surprised but we're not lost! The qirajis' magic is hideous but it's still magic, no better than our own! We're more numerous so we can cause more damage to them than they can to us. Eliminate the magi and we may flee with our lives!"

The nearby druids and shamans noted the archdruid's call and began to fight back and reverse the course of the onslaught.

* * *

Pax'lish of course knew the elves would regroup sooner or later. It was expected unless they were even sadder than he had thought. This development meant that the qirajis' surprise attack had lived past its peak. They needed to continue the fight for a while longer, to keep up the facade of a real battle.

"Tell every prophet to begin defending them selves now. We've caused enough damage for now, now we simply have to minimize our own casualties. We have to look like we're on the defensive."

Once again a swarm of wasps left to inform the prophets. The crystals would be optimal tools of communication but their range couldn't cover even half of the territory the prophets had spread to. Wasps were slower but more reliable alternative.

Sa'rol had caused serious damage to the enemy. His mind-flaying areas had caused confusion among the elves who couldn't even escape because of the zones of insanity. The few dozen elves and taurens who were caught in the spell were immediately burned by the dark fire. The enemy had noticed Sa'rol's part in the qiraji strategy and he was one of the ones who they begun targeting first.

 _I can't defend myself and maintain the pools simultaneously! We were told to cause maximum amount of victims so I cannot really begin shielding myself. The Creator only knows when I'll find an arrow in my throat…_

Sa'rol's morbid thoughts were interrupted by a wasp who told him just what he wanted to hear. The second phase of the mission had begun, now he simply had to contain the elves' attacks for some time. That would be fairly simple but not easy: he and his fellow prophets would have to torment the minds of any night elf about to attack them. That wasn't hard to do but the mere number of attackers made Sa'rol nervous.

 _No matter how fast we are, some of us won't make it. Hopefully none will die in vain…_

* * *

Fandral wanted to like what he saw but he simply couldn't. Why weren't the melee forces attacking? Surely the magi weren't the only danger the qiraji possessed? And was it just him or did the qiraji relent their attack a little? For now, however, it was of minimal importance. His forces had regrouped and they had managed to reverse the qiraji initiative. For now it looked like he and bulk of his army would live to see the sunset.

Valstann's thoughts were much like his father's'. The most important thing was that they hadn't been beaten in the first fight. Shandris, too, seemed relieved even if she had taken a hit of a spell which drained her ability to commune with Elune. The sensation was highly disturbing for her as her powers were limited without the Goddess's blessings.

Valstann targeted a green prophet in front of him with a druidic spell which was enough to kill a giant tree ancient of the northern forests. The green light pierced the prophet's chest, causing him to fall to his many knees before taking his last breaths. His father called to the stars to lend their strength, using their fire to burn some prophets here and there. They had begun to make progress against the qiraji.

* * *

"We've received 17 casualties thus far, Neres'htar. Some more are wounded but the enemy has mostly been able to kill the ones they've hit." One of the junior commanders passed a report of the state of battle to the Brigadier General. The younger officer's voice was serious but bore a distinct respect to his superior.

"That's enough. Give the order to retreat!" Pax'lish had decided to end the battle. They had caused the elves probably hundreds of casualties which was enough for now. He could see he hadn't given the order too soon as the prophets obeyed the command immediately, leaving their position as fast as they could.

Sa'rol was very content at the decision. The prophet next to him had fallen and his own position was getting dire. The battle had achieved its objectives and the retreat would be done in order. He backed away slowly from the brink and left the battle.

* * *

Danoxx and Va'rel's squads were stationed southwest of the battle site as this was the probable area the night elves would make their camp. They didn't know the course of the battle but they had enough faith in the prophets to have a calm mind. When the night elves and taurens would arrive, the Unseens' work would begin. There were ten groups which consisted of two four-man squads in the area to cause as much havoc as they could when the enemy would finally arrive.

"They should be here shortly. It's been two hours since the battle begun and from what I understood it was supposed to be swift." Ke'nir pondered to Danoxx who had also started to wait for the enemy's arrival.

"Yes, but we shouldn't worry about that. The wasps patrolling the area will inform us when we should begin searching for cover and where. Our only job at the moment is to prepare for our nightly mission." Danoxx referred to the poison and the propaganda they were going to spread among the elves. For the latter they planned to use "the general's" battle plans which implied he was willing to sacrifice the bulk of his armies for personal gain and that he had given them second-rate equipment and kept the money meant for the soldiers to himself.

As for poison, it was one of the Unseens' basic skills to make toxins of different kinds. Paralyzers, immediate or slow deaths, chokers, whatever the effect, a proper Unseen was able to create them. Especially Sirexx was extremely talented with this kind of warfare. Even if the most often used tactic of the Unseen was a simple assassination, Sirexx would often use poisons as a backup when he feared the lethal attack would be uncertain.

"I can see why you're making such a big deal of the poison, Sirexx. When you cannot trust your own strength, you have to resort to dirty tricks." Ra'jol's voice wasn't mocking but it was somewhat haughty. He had come to talk to Sirexx about the coming night.

"There's nothing wrong in doing your job thoroughly, Ra'jol. Besides, our difference in brute strength is negligible, it's nothing you should be extremely proud." Sirexx's eyes were fixed on the bowl in which he was making the poison and his voice sounded almost absent.

"We'll see about that in time. It's highly possible that we'll both die in this war but should one survive, it's a sign of the Creator's favor on him. Whatever happens, stay true to His will." Ra'jol's tone had taken a friendly turn, now sounding like he truly wanted to advice his comrade.

Sirexx knew better than to argue with Ra'jol about the subject and he simply nodded.

"Just do you preparations well and keep your head calm and we'll be fine. None of us has to die in this war if we do our missions with care and devotion to our squad and believe in Creator's help, we will survive." Sirexx raised his head and looked at Ra'jol as he spoke. He hoped he was right but Ra'jol's behavior had begun to worry him too. He truly hoped the green-robed Unseen wouldn't turn into a total zealot.

"No, none of us has to. However, if one of us meets his end, it's out of necessity. I know none of us will die in vain but a war won't be won if everyone tries to guard their own lives. We must do what is necessary to win this war." Ra'jol's face was stoic as his spoke and his voice signaled that the meant every word.

Sirexx knew his comrade was right. For now, however the preparations for the raid had to be completed or his last day would come much sooner than he had expected. He turned his gaze back into the bowl and begun to mix deathweed into the poison. Ra'jol left shortly and Sirexx gave his full concentration to the toxin which would most likely be the end of some unfortunate night elf who happened to drink from a soon-to-be polluted barrel.


	12. The Consequences of Trust

The Consequences of Trust

Fandral was deep in thought. How could a failure of this kind come to pass? His failure had caused the night elves massive casualties and even if no one had criticized him for the disaster, his army was much more worried and less hopeful than before. Why hadn't he sensed the qirajis' approach?

 _Nature is usually my eyes, my ears and an extension of every other of my senses. Why would this place be any different? I don't feel anything different about this land, it answers to my questions as in Hyjal. But for some reason it didn't warn me about the qiraji. As if… they have the power to control the land's and its denizens thoughts. But not even druids can do that._

Fandral gasped at the possibility. The thought of someone controlling the land itself was a scary one but even though he didn't know how, notcompletely unimaginable. That would answer the question but the archdruid didn't know how to investigate the issue. Suddenly he got an idea. The next time he met the qiraji they could be up for a surprise if his plan worked…

* * *

Approaching a huge, highly alerted camp in the middle of the desert undetected would be an almost impossible job. Sirexx knew he couldn't reach the edge of the camp without being seen and that would result in a camp-wide mobilization. However, none of that would be necessary. All the groups had been told how to do this mission.

The answer would be the silithid tunnels. The wasps had located probably all of the supply storages and that would allow the drones to dig their tunnels to each of the tents. The drones had started the work in the early evening and by the midnight, they were ready to pierce the floors of the supply tents. Every Unseen had three tents they were supposed to handle, as well as to leave the pieces of propaganda near the tents.

Sirexx was ready for the mission. It sounded like an easy task so the Unseen wasn't too worried. His comrades were similarly relaxed for today but none of them underestimated the importance of caution. There were altogether 52 or 13 squads of Unseen operating in the camp simultaneously. This way the night elves would suffer maximum casualties from the poison. The downside was that if even one Unseen was spotted in the camp, the operation would quickly turn into a disaster.

Sirexx could vaguely feel the location he was in. The tunnel was about four meters below the ground and the night elf camp was a few hundred meters away from the mouth. The utter darkness of the starless night made it possible for the qiraji to enter the tunnel so near to the camp. Silithid tunnels were usually not too large but they could be commanded to widen them.

After a long while, the tunnel began to rise and Sirexx could sense he was inside the camp. The silithid had made the tunnel rise near the surface before going down again while to keep it from collapsing into the tunnel.

 _First stop's here. I cannot sense anyone above me and the area around the tent seems quiet too…_

Sirexx hit his chela through the floor and raised his head to take a look at the tent. It was very large and mainly filled with water kegs and bread and vegetable sacks. Sirexx could sense guards patrolling the streets around him and they wouldn't probably enter the tent without a reason.

Sirexx took a vial from a pocket in his cloak. He had a few dozen vials just to make sure every barrel got its share. They were small but contained yellowish liquid. Sirexx had a hard time opening the first barrel due to them having being built to be opened by hands, not chelae. However, finally he managed to open it.

 _This is my favorite way to handle assassinations. I don't need to do practically anything and the victim suffers minimal pain. Some, like Ra'jol, call it inglorious but who cares? The victims would have to die anyway in this war and this way spares a lot of effort and pain._

Sirexx emptied the vial into the barrel, its yellow color swiftly disappearing into the body of water. The liquid seemed perfectly normal and little did the elves know that anyone drinking from it would face his or her quick death by morning. Every barrel in the room was soon polluted.

The breads and vegetables required a different kind of toxin. Sirexx took a needle from his pocket and dipped it into a red-colored vial. This poison was more potent than the one he used on the water and it needed a lot smaller dose to be lethal. Sirexx raised the needle from the vial and sank it into the bread in many spots.

 _Poisoning liquids is much easier. With solid food you have to make sure the toxin really stays in the food as powder could fall of if eaten slowly. This elven bread looks horrible. Ours is darker, harder and larger. And what are these? Some kind of herbs? I've heard the northerners eat them but in our land grows nothing edible._

The deed was done in a while. After that Sirexx descended into the tunnel once again and ordered the silithid to cover the hole in the tunnel. The journey continued to the next tent which was located nearby. This time Sirexx sensed an elf above him in the tent. The qiraji wasn't sure was he a guard or someone merely getting a drink. Whatever his business, one less elf was one less enemy.

Sirexx dug a small hole behind the night elf. He could feel roughly where the elf's neck was and took a needle, dipping it into a green vial. The Unseen aimed at the elf's neck, causing a slight wound. The elf gasped, feeling like a bee had stung him. He reached for his neck and was surprised to find blood in his fingers.

 _What kind of bug bites this viciously? What… what is happening? It's as if my fingers are… fading?_

The elf begun to waver and fumbled for a barrel for support. Quickly, he collapsed to the ground. Sirexx waited for a moment to ensure no one had heard anything. After a minute, he enlarged the hole and climbed to the tent.

 _This poison is the best I have. It kills almost instantly and the victim will never know what killed him. Well, back to work._

This tent was smaller than the previous one and possessed more luxurious supplies. There were various fruits, meat and clams and the barrels contained wine. For Sirexx, the change mattered little. The poisoning routine stayed similar and was done in similar pace to the first tent. Here Sirexx threw a paper claiming that Valstann had unofficial affairs with the qiraji.

The way to the final tent was longer than the previous ones. The tent above the tunnel end was similar to the first one, large and full of ordinary supplies. Sirexx couldn't sense any living creature in it and broke the ground. He would be soon done with the mission.

* * *

Danoxx had likewise entered his third tent. His night had been uneventful save for one quick elimination of an elf who had spotted him. The deed was done before she could even cry for help.

 _A successful and easy mission thus far, just what I always hope for. I'm sure Va'rel would hope for more action but then again he's unlikely to live to old age._

Danoxx begun to handle the supplies with his toxin when he felt a huge pain in his leg. He out a quiet curse and hit the attacker in the head with his other legand penetrated his head with a dagger. Only now did he take a look at who the "attacker" was. He was an Unseen called Ka'arh from Varel's squad!

 _What the…? Why would he attack me and what's he doing in my tunnel in the first place? Even more urgent, my leg is broken and crawling all the way back will be painful… but what else can I do?_

Whatever his condition, Danoxx always did his best to complete his mission. Poisoning the supplies took longer than it should have taken and it increased the chance of him getting caught. After a while, the High Ambusher heard something he wanted to hear the least. There were sounds of mobilization and shouts of the elves searching for something. It would be mere seconds before they came to his tent too. No doubt some idiot had been spotted in the camp!

 _Damn, I cannot flee with my leg quickly enough! I'd be killed before the tunnel would be sealed._

Even if it was highly discouraged, Danoxx decided that he didn't have to die on this mission. It was likely that someone of his comrades would be within range of his crystal.

* * *

Sirexx, too, was in hurry to finish his job. The things were heating up outside and it was just a matter of time he would be caught.

 _I don't even want to know who fucked up the entire mission! Well, he's unlikely to be among us anymore anyway so that's about that. At least I'll be able to get away in peace…_

"Is there anyonethere?"

Sirexx was surprised to hear the voice from his crystal and even more so because of who the voice belonged to.

"Danoxx? Is something wrong?" Sirexx sounded worried because if something was wrong, it would be a huge risk for him to do something about it.

"I don't know why but Ka'arh broke my leg. I killed him in confusion but as you surely have noticed, things are heating up quickly in here. My job's done but I cannot flee on my own. I understand if you wish to leave immediately but I 'd be honored if you could back me up."

Sirexx's emotions were in open conflict. He didn't wish to leave Danoxx to die but neither did he wish that fate upon himself. He had already done his part of the mission and no one would hold him responsible for an accident which happened to a comrade. However, when Sirexx gave the issue more thought, he realized how much he owed Danoxx. He was the leader of his squad after all, the first and only squad he had ever felt a part of. The older Unseen had led him to various successful missions and thus made him respected among most of his caste and to success as an Unseen. Sirexx knew he had only one option.

"Where are you, Danoxx? I can feel you're not far to my right but in which tent are you?" The crystals' resonation resembled the silithid communication but not quite. Qiraji could in addition to communicating through them, feel their activity and vaguely their location.

"I've taken a look on the streets separating the tents and I'd say you're about two rows to my left. The tent I'm in is quite large and redder than the others around it. Be quick, they're entering the tent now…" From this point on, all Sirexx could hear were night elf curses which soon turned to breaking swords and dying screams.

There was no time to waste. A High Ambusher could fight for a long time but not with a crippled leg. Using the silithid in battle would give away one advantage to the elves so that was out of question. The qiraji couldn't afford to show the enemy the true extent of silithid-qiraji cooperation. There were elves everywhere in the first street but Sirexx got through due to the darkness, his black cloak and quick movement. The Unseen could see a mob of elves entering his last tent but there was nothing anymore to see. Sirexx had commanded the silithid to blanket the hole even if the enemy had without a doubt already learned about the silithid tunnels due to his unknown comrade's failure.

The darkness shaded the tents heavily but a qiraji could see their color with ease due to their good night vision. According to Danoxx's description the tent he was in was not far to his right. Sirexx could hear a pause in fighting in Danoxx's location and he hadn't heard anything pointing to his leader's death. Anyway, there was no time to lose. The fuss allowed Sirexx to approach the tent undetected…

…Until a few meters from the door. Luckily for him the brown qiraji didn't forget to pay attention to his surroundings. Sirexx suddenly turned around just in time to deflect an arrow approaching his head, blocking it with his chela.

 _How surprising that they're simply trying to shoot me at sight? They clearly think I'm some slow-witted idiot who couldn't parry anything. Moreover he's so far I can't even get him! I just have to be fast enough to escape before he gathers a group and comes after me…_

* * *

 _I've taken two of them out but there's still three left… with reinforcements coming no doubt. Hopefully Sirexx finds me quickly…_

Danoxx dodged an incoming hit from a young, green haired night elf and would have received a wound if his crest wouldn't have deflected the hit. The High Ambusher had received some non-lethal injuries but his natural defenses deflected some of the more indirect hits. The night elves seemed very nervous but still confident of the situation. The qiraji had lost a lot of hemolymph already and wouldn't be able to keep this up forever.

The elves were just about to go for the kill when they heard a bone-breaking sound from the Kaldorei on the left. The one in the center also fell to the ground after a while of lurching. The final elf took a horrified look to the attacker and realized the fight was lost. He had to alert the others.

Sirexx didn't expect the third elf's reaction. He thought he would run for the tents opening but he cut a hole in the wall instead and begun to cry something in Kaldorei the qiraji didn't understand. The situation had slowed down somewhat but only because most of the tents had already been checked with varying success. Now they were probably readying for chase.

"I'd say your timing was acceptable. Now keep the attackers away a few moments!" Danoxx begun to limp to the tunnel while Sirexx waited for the inevitable night elf attack. The seconds passed but Danoxx's leg denied a faster walking pace.

Finally a group of about a dozen elves rushed in to the tent firing arrows on the two qiraji. The shots were all parried.

"Congratulations for uncovering our scheme, fools. I hope even you know what they say: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. I thank you for getting rid of the idiot who fucked up the mission. We, however, are leaving whether you wanted it or not." Sirexx's voice echoed with mockery as he begun to approach his foes. The qiraji was first and foremost mad to the one who had ruined the mission and led to this fight.

The Unseen begun the fight with a furious flurry of poisoned knives, hitting three of the elves. The blue-eyed qiraji, on the other hand, received several stabs in his stomach and shoulders.

"Sirexx, get in here while you can! I'm safe, now flee!" Danoxx called from the tunnel to signal that Sirexx had completed his part. He begun to immediately back toward the tunnel, now trying to minimize the damage he received. Descending into the tunnel would be highly risky however, as it left him vulnerable to attacks. Sirexx threw a smoke bomb to the feet of his enemies and quickly moved to the opposite side of the hole in order to confuse the elves and begun to descend.

However, one of the elves wasn't blinded by the smoke, due to her extraordinary sight. She stroke her sword right at Sirexx's head who noticed it coming at the very last moment. He blocked the weapon with his left chela but it left the limb vulnerable for a moment. One of the other elves, a druid, had cleared his eyes and joined the attack. Noticing the situation, he took the form of a huge grizzly bear and locked his jaws around Sirexx's chela

…whose limb's lower part separated from the rest of the chela with a loud crack. Sirexx could only look in horror as the separated pincer hit his head and dropped to the ground. Additionally, with no chela to lock the female's sword, the weapon came down on Sirexx's head and wounded it, albeit slightly. The development allowed Sirexx to slide into the tunnel but at great cost…

"I'm sorry Sirexx but we mustn't linger here!" Danoxx's voice sounded genuinely apologizing but carried a commanding tone. He had seen worse injuries in his life but any crippling wound would endanger an Unseen's career and life. Hopefully Sirexx could adapt to the new handicap.

"I… I'm okay, Danoxx. Many others have died today, I can't complain. Let's just go, I can think about this later." The situation was unlikely to deteriorate as qiraji chitin didn't bleed. Additionally, insectoid blood, hemolymph, wasn't nearly as vital to a qiraji as humanoid blood was to the night elves and a qiraji could bleed far more than a the latter without lethal consequences.

The elves weren't exactly keen to enter the silithid tunnel and the hole was closed within mere moments. The sealed tunnel was pitch black but a qiraji could navigate even there.

"Thank you for coming to my aid Sirexx. I would have probably died if you had left. You had no obligation to help me but I'll be in your debt anyway. I'm proud that you're in my squad, Sirexx." Danoxx spoke with clear appreciation in his voice. It was rare to for a qiraji to get a personal compliment from one's superior.

Sirexx was silent. He knew the value of Danoxx's praise but he did the deed for a friend, not a squad leader.

"You don't have to thank me, Danoxx. You've given me so much during our missions and outside them that I couldn't even think about letting you die here. You owe me nothing."

"I do. I did only my duty all along but saving me wasn't a part of yours. I believe I would have done the same for you but that's just guessing. What matters is that we're both alive and that's because of you."

Sirexx wasn't on a mood to argue about the subject. For now he simply wanted to end the mission and get back to the camp. The journey through the tunnels proceeded in total silence.

* * *

At the end of the tunnel the sky was starting to lighten a bit. It shone like a brilliant lantern to the darkness, signaling the two qiraji they had lived to see the morning many of their comrades hadn't. However, the night wasn't over just yet.

"Tor ilisar'thera'nal!" The voice echoed through the tunnel as volley of arrows hit the two qiraji, some finding their marks. The opening was filled with night elf sentinels, each carrying a bow. Soon a group of bears charged into the tunnel, clearly intent on finishing off the injured qiraji.

"I don't know how you found here but I'll turn this tunnel to your grave!" Danoxx shouted as he touched the artifact hanging from his hood. The druids played little attention to the qiraji's threat and attacked the two relentlessly. However, before the battle turned decisively to their favor, the elves halted their attack when they felt a powerful rumbling from their side. Before they knew what was happening, a silithid colossus broke the tunnel's wall and crushed the druids with its proboscis and limbs.

The archers were stunned momentarily but quickly shot their next volley. They were doubtful whether they would have any effect on the huge insect and aimed their arrows for its eyes and elsewhere on its face. The colossus shielded Danoxx and Sirexx so killing them wasn't an option. One of the Sentinels cried an order to halt their attack. Upon seeing that the colossus' chitin was too much for the arrows, they decided to withdraw. The colossus was too slow to stop them.

"I can't understand how they knew our tunnel's exit. What I do know is that our tunnel probably wasn't an aberration. Pax'lish probably knows more than we do. I can walk on my own because the way is easy."

The sunrise was approaching swiftly in the horizon and the sight of it was a relief for the two Unseen after a long night. The desert was turning to gold in the first light. Sirexx felt relief and fear at the same time. He was extremely thankful to see the new day but he was worried about his future. Danoxx's leg would heal in time but as Ke'nir had said on the edge of Un'goro, a permanent cripple would be a huge burden for a qiraji. He just hoped he could get over the new handicap somehow.

"No rush, Danoxx. I'm pretty sure we've seen today's last enemy. We have a lot to discuss in the camp but for now, we'll be alright."


	13. A Somber Morning

A Somber Morning

"Unseen, your mission failed miserably. According to my information, one of your comrades was seen in the camp and his sighting alerted the entire elf army to your presence. I do not blame you of what happened, but it has made your future missions much harder." Pax'lish's voice was grim but calm. He regretted the past night but believed that the guilty had already been punished.

Sirexx and Danoxx's journey back to the qiraji headquarters would have been long if they had not been found by a patrolling gladiator group which helped the two back to the camp. They had been taken straight to the Pax'lish's briefing about the night. It was held in a silithid hive near the Unseen camp, in a large hall, quite near the entrance.

"Over twenty Unseen never made it back from the elf camp. That means nearly half of your comrades died because of one's mistake. That also means that many of your objectives failed too. Some of you succeeded in poisoning the elf supplies but many others didn't. Even if the enemy has slightly less supplies than before, they may be able to handle the situation. However, that is not even the most concerning part…"

Sirexx was saddened by the news. He had hoped that their casualties would be low and was shocked to learn otherwise. Luckily every member of his squad was alive. Ke'nir had survived without injuries but Ra'jol had got struck by an arrow to his stomach, making him the only one to require immediate treating by the prophets. Even if it was far from their specialty, they were able to heal certain injuries.

"The most concerning part is that the elves were able to find the tunnel openings! They should have had no way to locate them as they shouldn't be able to sense anything worthwhile in our lands! The way I see it, either there's a traitor among you or the druids have found a way to overshadow our hold over the land." Pax'lish's gaze became more penetrating and his voice took an inquisitive tone.

Sirexx knew little about magic but he understood that if the druids were able to sense the presence of the Unseen, the latter's part in the war was over. Also, Sirexx simply couldn't believe an Unseen could have betrayed Ahn'Qiraj. There was simply no way… Why would anyone betray his people, his friends for the elves?

"Even if there was no actual betrayal, which I do not want to believe without proof, you must always be ready for all kinds of setbacks. Twenty of your comrades weren't and now almost half of our force is depleted. If they weren't gone already, I would personally kill them for wasting years of training only to die because of stupid overconfidence…"

Sirexx could feel anger building up around him. How could a field general possibly know anything of being an Unseen? Moreover, Pax'lish mocked their dead comrades in front of them as if they had been complete idiots. Speaking of comrades, where was Idh'lash? Sirexx hadn't seen him in the camp and neither was he in the hall right now…

"But that isn't important now. As for the second option, every one of us knows what it would mean if the druids were able to sense our presence. I don't wish to go into details right now as we must confirm this before we decide how to proceed. For now, you may simply wait for further developments. All Unseen missions are suspended for now. May all of you serve the creator well." Pax'lish concluded his speech with the usual qiraji phrase. The Brigadier General seemed unhappy with the last announcement but his overall mood had improved somewhat the closer he got to the speech's end. He had wished to show at least some respect for the Unseen who had done their duties as they should have.

* * *

Sirexx had grown increasingly worried. Idh'lash's whereabouts caused him a great deal of anxiety as he hadn't even considered the possibility of losing his old friend this early…

The brown Unseen went to the door to wait for Idh'lash's squad leader, Alt'hesh, to exit the hive. He was a short, green-robed and slender qiraji who was known for his weak physique but discretion and good leadership skills. He and Sirexx knew each other somewhat well due to them meeting in the gambling hall quite often. Sirexx spotted him among the last leavers along with one of his squad members.

"I'm happy to see you alive and unharmed, Alt'hesh. However, I think I'm too easy to read… How is Idh'lash? I haven't seen him here so is he…?" Sirexx's voice was shaky and his eyes resonated with fear.

Alt'hesh took a long look at the other Unseen. His eyes were dispirited and bore deep compassion. He didn't want to relay everything he had experienced to Sirexx but he knew he owed it to his squad member's old friend.

"I'm so sorry Sirexx. Idh'lash never returned from the mission and knowing him, there's only one chance of what happened. I wish it wasn't so but Idh'lash is gone."

Sirexx felt a heavy sting inside him. His oldest friend, the one who for so long had brought him happiness and comfort, was gone forever. The thought saddened Sirexx greatly but an Unseen had seen enough death in his life to avoid the complete breakdown.

"What happened? I know you weren't there with him but did Idh'lash relay any messages to you?"

"He did. After the turn of the tide, one of my squad members, Ti'lesh, was ambushed before he could escape the onslaught. As you may know, Ti'lesh never was our strongest member and it was he who called for help. We two turned down the call, but Idh'lash decided to help, even if Ti'lesh had always been more of a burden than a help." Alt'hesh regretted to speak of his deceased comrade this way but every word he spoke was true.

Sirexx lingered between grief and wishing to hear more about Idh'lash's end. Even if it no longer surprised the blue-eyed qiraji, he and Idh'lash had truly been similar in many ways. They both had gone to help their comrades but why was he the one to survive? Idh'lash's skills were equal to Sirexx's so what went wrong?

"I told Idh'lash not to, but he told me that every qiraji should try to help their comrades regardless of the situation. Anyway, I had no authority to order him to turn back so I decided to finish my own mission. Just as I was about to descend into the tunnel, I heard Idh'lash trying to speak to Ti'lesh but he never answered. He had probably already met his end and after that I didn't hear of Idh'lash again."

"There had to be an all-out volley into the tent… Idh'lash wouldn't lose to an elf in melee but a blind shot might find its mark. I'm so sorry. Losing two teammates at once is a terrible experience." Sirexx's voice was silent but clear. Alt'hesh looked back at him with sorrowful eyes. His jaws hanged low and he stood perfectly still as the qiraji breathed without visible effects.

"Every Unseen with at least some experience has lost a comrade. What I, and especially you, have lost is a dear friend. A comrade can simply be replaced by a new recruit but a friend can never be truly replaced. But, whether we notice it or not, every qiraji who has ever lived rests with the Creator, the same being who every qiraji knows and trusts."

"It is said that along with the Creator, we pray to our ancestors and departed friends. I know the teachings but I don't know what to think right now. I'll have to think this through. In any case, thank you for the information, Alt'hesh.

"Don't mention it. I'm sure both of us can get over this but for now, I'd like some time alone too."

* * *

The medical center of the camp was no more than a few beds in the same silithid hive in which Pax'lish's briefing had taken place and employed about a dozen prophets doing whatever they could for the injured. One of the Brigadier General's aides told Danoxx to see if there was anything that could be done about his leg. The medical point was in the hive because it was the safest place nearby and because the qiraji tents weren't large enough to accommodate it. Ra'jol decided to accompany Danoxx in case he needed anything.

"I'm surprised to see that you survived, Danoxx, but apparently just barely. No wonder you require your underlings to keep you alive!" Va'rel had noticed Danoxx in Pax'lish's briefing and decided to say his take on the other High Ambusher's injury. Va'rel himself had completed the mission unharmed.

"Yes, I would have died hadn't it been for my comrades. Unlike you, who seems completely fine with the fact that you have only two subordinates left this morning, I'm not afraid to call for help when I need it." Danoxx had something to tell his college about his injury.

"You know something about Ka'arh's death?" Va'rel sounded surprised but also curious of what had happened to his squad member. And above all, of what Danoxx's role in the accident had been.

"In fact, it wasn't an enemy who caused me this injury. Ka'arh was in my tunnel and attacked me from behind." Danoxx's voice was calm and seemed to state matter-of-fact information.

"What? None of my comrades would attack another Unseen, especially one they know!" Va'rel didn't believe the story for a second and his face resonated with anger.

"Well, that's what happened anyway. How would you handle a situation where you were attacked from behind? I responded the only way I could: by stabbing the attacker in the head. I was stunned to find who it was but by then it was too late. For his sake I hope it was an honest mistake, even if a costly one."

Va'rel was out of words. Even if Ka'arsh wasn't the brightest Unseen he'd met, he couldn't possibly enter the wrong tunnel and on top of it, attack Danoxx? He had always been loyal to Ahn'Qiraj so treachery wasn't an option. And despite all of his loathing of Danoxx, the tall, grayish qiraji couldn't believe the other High Ambusher would simply have killed Ka'arsh in cold blood. But however he looked at it, Danoxx's story made no sense to Va'rel. But he couldn't back down: killing a fellow qiraji was a heinous crime and losing one's subordinate was a serious blow to a qiraji officer's career.

"I don't know what you're after with your claims, but I don't believe you for a second. And if you think I don't mind you killing my squad members, you're wrong. Serving Ahn'Qiraj will always be my first and utmost purpose but I won't let this go. I challenge you to a court martial for murder of my squad member."

"That's outrageous! We both know Danoxx wouldn't do such things! The prophets have better things to do than to listen to your lies!" Ra'jol's voice was furious. He respected Va'rel due their similar views about serving Ahn'Qiraj but he couldn't stand listening Va'rel slandering his squad leader.

Danoxx had no way to refuse but he wasn't too concerned. Even if he had confessed the deed, there was no evidence of murder. The way he saw it, there wasn't any risk for serious punishment.

"Ra'jol, it's okay. I accept the challenge, Va'rel, if you really insist. Though I assure you that what I told is the truth. I'm sure the Creator will tell the truth to the prophets."

Va'rel jammed his jaws together. "He will but let's see if it is as you claim."

* * *

 _To think that Idh'lash and I did the exact same decision to help our comrades and that I'm the only one alive… I had some luck on my side but Idh'lash received a blind arrow probably to his neck… I can't believe it. We were always similar: as ambitious, as strong and apparently we thought the same way. I never thought it that way but we could almost have been the same person even if Idh'lash was a bit taller and red. I always lamented that we were put in separate squads… because of that, we met very rarely in past years... We deserved better but the Creator decided otherwise. I'm so sorry, Idh'lash: we never realized just how close we once were and we drifted apart without us actually realizing it. And now you're gone… I don't know if you can hear me somehow but I'm sorry. I hope we'll meet again in the next life. Farewell, Idh'lash, my oldest and best friend._

Sirexx sighed deep in thought, staring at the horizon beyond which the night elf camp lay. He regretted heavily the distance that had formed between him and Idh'lash during the last years. The Unseen couldn't help but feel guilty for surviving the same situation which had claimed Idh'lash's life but the past was past. It was up to him and Alt'hesh to honor their fallen friend's memory by doing their all to overcome the war the best way they could. From this point on, Sirexx no longer killed the night elves merely because of duty but also in revenge. Idh'lash had more than likely died an inglorious death because of a coward's arrow. Sirexx would make sure the elves paid for that.


	14. An Hour of Impasse

An Hour of Impasse

It was just as Pax'lish had feared: the night elves seemed to know the qirajis' every movement wherever they were. A few groups of gladiators had done some experiments around the night elf camp and each time they were attacked by the enemy before the groups could even have be seen from the camp. The losses weren't too big a price for the confirmation: had the qiraji tried to engage the enemy in an actual battle without knowing about the night elves' new-found powers, it would have ended in a disaster. Nevertheless, this development was a reason for grave concern.

There was simply one point that made no sense to Pax'lish. If the night elves could sense his army's presence, why didn't they attack? The only answer he could come up with, was that the elves were able to sense only nearby areas but that made no sense. If the druids had found a way to dismantle the prophets' magic, why wouldn't they be able to cover the entire Tanaris with their spell? Pax'lish was no prophet and the only one who could answer his question was probably Skeram himself as he was the only one who possessed all the knowledge regarding the qiraji magic. Not that the reason for night elves' spell's short range really mattered but the Brigadier general was concerned that the elves might get another breakthrough.

Pax'lis's army was following the night elves, keeping about an hour's distance between the two armies. The sun was burning down on the desert but General was happy about it as it was for his advantage. But it was only a little consolation compared to the fact that his campaign had just become much more difficult. From now on, the qiraji attacks would have to be serious as any decoy attacks would simply fail. Then there was the Unseen problem: an assassin who wasn't able to move unnoticed was completely useless. But Pax'lish couldn't simply keep them idle. Every qiraji had to work for the common goal and an idle caste would lower the whole army's morale.

 _They're damn useless now! The battle itself is getting hard and then I should come up with missions that aren't vital for the victory! How am I… That's it! That just might suit them well enough…_

* * *

"High Ambusher Danoxx, you're being accused of homicide of a fellow Unseen. I trust you know that the act is one of the most heinous crimes a qiraji can commit?" A greenish prophet called Xruril asked in a serious tone. He was standing in the back of a small tent as qiraji court-martials were always held in small and ascetic places. This was because, as was told, a little room and few attendees would make the Creator's presence more profound, his penetrating presence filling the culprit with horror and revealing his crime or innocence.

"I do, Xruril. Should the charges be found true, my soul wouldn't even be fit to burn in your dark fire. You would have to manually rip my soul to pieces. However, I swear in the Creator's name that I will tell only the truth." Danoxx was dead serious and each of his words carried a big amount of weight to them.

"I deny that he speaks only the truth. I know my subordinates: Ka'arh would never have attacked a fellow Unseen. I don't know what he was doing in danoxx's tunnel but certainly nothing worth being killed for! Danoxx leaves something untold and because of that, I cannot help but accuse him of murder!" Va'rel was the third qiraji in the room. Qiraji courts were seldom occupied by more than five people and the prophet in charge of the court-martial held the absolute power in the court.

"That's what we're going to investigate today. Both of you, know that any possible lie will be detected eventually and then you will not answer only to me. That lie will also be a treason against Ahn'Qiraj and even more importantly, the Creator Himself. Danoxx, you've always been known as a capable Unseen and a courageous leader. What is your take on the chain of events?" Xruril took a quick look to his right where Danoxx was standing. Both of the High Ambushers had changed their usual officer's garbs and now wore extremely simple and one-colored cloaks, in order to promote their humbleness.

"As you know, it happened last night, on the mission to the night elf camp. I had just entered my last tent when I felt a crushing grip in my leg. Of course, I killed the attacker right away without second thoughts. If he had been an enemy and I hadn't done anything, it would be me who would lie dead in the camp right now!"

"What Danoxx tells might be true but Ka'arh wasn't stupid enough to enter a wrong tunnel and attack a comrade! By the way Danoxx… What did you think attacked you? A night elf with huge wire clatters?" Va'rel's tone was mocking but a murdering gaze from Xruril silenced him immediately.

"This isn't a place for jokes or blackmailing, Va'rel. But you had some points there. What I'd like to ask is that were you not actually able to see the attacker before you killed him?"

"I couldn't, Xruril. My hand acted before my head did. The knife was in his skull by the time I saw who the attacker was."

"Interesting. Yet if you hadn't been so eager to kill, there would have been one more Unseen who had lived to see this day. The most important question I have for you, Danoxx, is that were you at the moment completely sure the kill couldn't be avoided. And to you ,Va'rel, is there any reason Ka'arh would have entered Danoxx's tunnel in the first place? Let's begin with the latter question." Va'rel looked a bit agitated by the question. Of course he should be questioned as well but did Xruril know anything about the mission?

"The poisoning was a solitary mission. My duties as his squad leader are reserved only to the missions where we work together so this time I wasn't responsible for Ka'arh's actions. The last time I saw him was after our last squad meeting where we wished each other good luck. After that, each of us went our separate ways to the tunnels we'd been assigned to."

"I see. You wouldn't know what Ka'arsh's real tunnel was. The only one who could answer the question is the deceased one himself. There is no sense in speculating his thoughts as they would be only guesses. And what about you Danoxx? Va'rel had a point in questioning your motives, killing someone using our tunnels. It couldn't possibly have been an enemy, don't you agree?" Xruril didn't sound menacing or accusing but his voice resonated with real interest in the issue.

"Even if what you say is true, an Unseen should act to save his own life whatever happens. I don't think anything when I'm attacked, I simply act." Danoxx saw no point in repeating himself so he pleaded to the common Unseen code of battle.

"Indeed. Now let's see whether your claims bear any truth to them!" Xruril's eyes widened and he formed a ball of dark power in his hands. Nearly instantly he cast it toward Danoxx.

The High Ambusher had never felt such a huge pain in his head. Danoxx had never before felt this agony but he had heard of it from others. Qiraji prophets used this as a method of testing the defendant's claim. The spell felt exactly the same as was its actual effect: someone invades your mind and pushes you out of your own head. Additionally, the unnatural digging of his memory caused a massive additional pain to Danoxx's head.

Xruril's eyes were closed and his body trembled with the spell's effect. It continued for about a minute after which he lowered his arms and panted slightly. Danoxx felt a huge relief after he regained the control of his own mind. The prophet soon returned his eyes on Danoxx and his gaze was ominous. He seemed happy and agitated at the same time.

"Danoxx, you've done well in my interrogation. You've spoken your part of the truth as well as you could. However, you never truly opened your heart to the issue. You truly believed you were right all along but in my investigation I could feel that you had really no problem with what you'd done. As if you were indifferent about your comrades' fates…"

Danoxx tried to interrupt Xruril but he dismissed the protest immediately.

"I'm not saying that you're a murderer or even uncaring. What I'm saying is that you're too absorbed into your own activities occasionally that you forget to care about your comrades. I could feel that you really didn't _care_ whether the attacker was an enemy or a mistaken ally. Ka'arsh's death could have been avoided. However, the original mistake was his, not yours."

Va'rel didn't mind hearing Xruril's words. It would seem that Danoxx wouldn't be getting completely freed from guilt. Also, hearing about Danoxx's shortcoming's as a High Ambusher brought a slight smile to his face. Danoxx himself was stunned by Xruril's claims. The spells the prophets used were completely reliable and it was no use trying to object the prophet's words.

 _Seems like I'll never know myself well enough…_

"Am I unfit to lead my squad, then? If I occasionally care only about myself, am I not a terrible leader?" Danoxx's voice was silent and apologetic.

"You aren't, Danoxx. You've always been known as one of our stronger High Ambushers. You're an important part of the Unseen caste in Tanaris, even more so after the last night's tragedy. But be warned: this must not happen again. I'll let you go this time due to your reputation and position. Should you kill another qiraji, your fate will be sealed. Ka'rash's mistake was his own but so was yours."

"Th-thank you, Xruril. This won't happen again. Thank you for giving me this chance." Danoxx was relieved but also worried about Xruril's words. Va'rel was content about the verdict and glad to hear his subordinate wasn't the only culprit in his own demise.

"I really hope so, Danoxx. For now, serve the Creator well."

* * *

"Your wound seemed very bad, Ra'jol. Are you sure it's already getting better?" Ke'nir asked casually and not actually worried as he already knew the wound wouldn't be lethal.

"It is. The Creator will mend it in a week and I won't let bother me. Sirexx's injury is much worse as it will never heal." Sirexx was marching in front of the two. He was still pretty silent but he still heard his comrades' words.

"It's alright. We'll see if it's of any hindrance but for now, I don't really want to think about that. Your wound is more painful so don't worry about me." Sirexx's voice was normal, if a bit sorrowful.

Ke'nir stepped a few steps forward to Sirexx's side and spoke to him with a grim yet soft voice.

"Sirexx, I know that even a disability which doesn't seem dangerous at first, may actually be your end before long. I know it as it because has happened to a friend of mine, many years ago. He lost both of his antennae in a battle against the taurens. He thought he was going to be fine but you can never value your health enough until it's taken from you. My friend tried to dismiss the disability but he couldn't continue to do so for long. He could no longer use the crystals, command the silithid and his ability to sense enemies and many other things in general was gone too. First he managed somehow but his squad's missions were not made easier just for my disabled friend. On a harsh mission, he couldn't be warned about the enemy's movements and he got surrounded. A silithid horde might have saved him but as it was, he met his end on that day."

Sirexx looked at Ke'nir with worried eyes. He knew the near-black Unseen meant well but his story didn't really lighten his mood.

"Why would you tell this to him, Ke'nir? Antennae and half a chela aren't the same thing and Sirexx most likely doesn't want to hear that he's going to die like your friend did!" Ra'jol wasn't allowed to attend Danoxx's trial and was sent along with his comrades to follow the night elf army. Even though the Unseen missions were suspended, they still moved with the main army in case they were needed.

"I'm just saying that only a fool would dismiss a disability as an unimportant detail! This is a serious issue and I wanted to point out an example what can happen if Sirexx is not careful."

"Thanks for your advice, Ke'nir but I think I can handle my own business. I know my chela-to-chela fights are limited to my right hand but that's fine. That's a last resort to an Unseen anyway. I wonder when Danoxx is going to join us. His trial should have begun a while ago and there's no way he'll get punished." Sirexx changed the subject as he was also troubled by Danoxx's court-martial and didn't really want to continue the conversation about his own situation.

"Most likely not for a few days. His leg still hasn't healed completely and it's likely going to take time to heal. The trial is just a bad joke from Va'rel." Even if the other High Ambusher was their leader's enemy, Ra'jol still respected him because of his skills.

"Well that's not our concern right now. What's bothering me is that we're marching behind the army knowing that we won't have any missions. It just feels like a waste of time." Ke'nir expressed his frustration of the present situation of his squad and Unseen as a whole.

"We must always be ready for a task even if it comes as a surprise. Anyway, we're approaching Un'goro. Perhaps we'll receive some orders when we get there. If not, at least the enemy's march gets more difficult." Sirexx said dryly as he wasn't too thrilled to enter the jungle again as it was more dangerous and unknown terrain for the qirajithan Tanaris.

* * *

Valstann was very aware of Un'goro's dangers. Last time he had the qiraji to guide him but he couldn't bring the safe path to his mind.

 _This will be difficult… We might have to wander here for weeks before we find the ramp up to Silithus. Until then, any of us might get eaten by beasts or parasites or simply succumb to heat! A shame my father can only sense a tiny area around him…_

The elder Staghelm was riding alongside Valstann. Fandral had regained some of his confidence after finding a small channel through which he could communicate with nature, even if it was very limited. It had help tremendously in tracking down the assassins after their attack. Sadly they had managed to poison a big portion of their supplies before they got caught but they still had enough water to avert a real water shortage.

 _If he sensed at least a kilometer-wide area, we wouldn't even need to go to their cursed home! We could just crush them in Tanaris, but no. I can only hope that Un'goro won't be the end for too many of us..._

* * *

A silithid wasp was flying over a big qiraji army clearly looking for something, navigating purely by instinct. The image of the qirajis it was supposed to find was painted in its tiny brain and it would search the entire army until it found its targets. The insect's eyes were scanning the landscape intensively, as were the eyes of all the wasps that were looking for their targets. After a long while, a qiraji who resembled the picture the wasp had been given in the insect's sight. It dashed quickly toward him and right away begun to convey its message. Silithid's voice wasn't intelligible to a qiraji but the resonating of its antennae was.

"Look, Ke'nir, we haven't been forgotten." Sirexx grinned without humor as his melancholy hadn't left him just yet.

"What? It wishes us to meet the Brigadier General in person?" Ra'jol asked in surprise.

"Apparently but why? What could he possibly want of us?" Ke'nir said, wondering about the turn of events.

Sirexx took a look at the army in front of him and his comrades.

"Well, let's find him! He should be leading the army so we shouldn't have a hard time finding him."

* * *

Indeed, the main challenge was to find the path through the many gladiator regiments. It took a good while but Pax'lish was where he was supposed to be. The Brigadier General was accompanied by five of his deputies. The general was easy to recognize due to his greater size and deep blue armor and many trinkets which were spread across it. His deputies were also bigger than a normal qiraji but none of them came close to the general's height.

"Ilt'har axil'tesh, Neres'htar. What is your bidding?" Ke'nir started with a greeting which implicated clear inferiority. It could be best dubbed as "We're but your servants".

Pax'lish turned to the three Unseen and he seemed content at their arrival.

"I have a special task for you and Danoxx because I hear that you're one the best Unseen squads under my command. What really stands apart from you, is your service to the Prophet himself. That is an extremely rare honor and if your service is good enough for Skeram, who am I to turn it down?"

The three Unseen exchanged glances and they could all see each other's relief of being able to do something.

"We thank you for this chance. Whatever you ask, it will be our honor to do it." Ra'jol asked with a proud yet thankful voice.

"As you should. I very seldom command even gladiators myself and given your caste's recent disaster, thank your fortune for this chance. Especially since my request for you is much different and difficult than my tasks for the others. If Skeram deemed your performance acceptable, you should be able to complete this special task. The other Unseen are being told to head for Un'goro to lay some obstacles for the elves and make the terrain and wildlife even more dangerous. Even if those are very useful tasks, but your mission is much more important."

Sirexx felt his interest rise by the minute. A special task? Perhaps a messenger or sabotage one?

"I want you to infiltrate the city of Eldre'thalas, learn about the source of the Highborne's power and destroy it!"

Sirexx felt like an anvil had been removed from his shoulders. At first he had trouble processing the magnitude of such an endeavor but after that he felt only exhilaration about the mission. He had always preferred scouting missions and ones where the objective was unclear. Moreover, the ruins of the great elven city made him feel curious about the place itself. Ke'nir seemed highly surprised but still quite indifferent whereas Ra'jol's eyes gleamed with anticipation of getting to serve the Creator.

"They must have some kind of source of power. There is a reason why users of arcane magic have mostly disappeared from the world. The Well of Eternity provided the powers of ancient magi and its destruction meant the end of the magic as they knew it. The fact that the Shen'dralar still are able to wield arcane powers means that they have to have a special source from which they draw their strength."

"Do you have any idea what kind of source it might be?" Ke'nir asked with some uncertainty in his voice.

"Well, given that Dath'Remar and his colleagues used the power of the well beneath Nordrassil, it's possible they also have something like that in their ruins. Or, like us, they might draw their powers from a highly powerful being like a demigod. Whatever it is, it must be destroyed. If the Shen'dralar lose their arcane power, they're as good as finished. I know your leader is injured so you'll have a few days to rest before you head for Feralas. Any questions?"

None of the three qiraji answered and Pax'lish simply nodded to signal the end of his orders.

"I know I can put my faith in you. Make the Creator proud."

Sirexx knew this mission would take a long time and the fighting in the south would go on without him or his comrades. He wasn't sad about it however as he preferred to act in the shadows. But who knew, there was a possibility of his home being a smoking ruin by the time of his return. Whatever would come to pass, Sirexx and his comrades would have a role to play in the war, even if none of them expected it.


	15. The Ancient Forests of Feralas

The Ancient Forests of Feralas

Some say the odd dancing lights of primeval forests of Kalimdor are visible forms of the many spirits which no doubt inhabited the vast woodlands. Others believe they're the lingering souls of the inhabitants of the land whose lives had ended a long ago and some others believe completely different stories. The sight of them dancing around the millennia-old oaks during the long hours before dawnn was an enchanting sight which roused a deep longing to follow them into the dark woods and become one with the ancient land.

Sirexx certainly had generated an interest in the dim lights. He, too, had heard of them but he never before had considered the wisps as anything else but waste of space. But seeing them was a different experience. Their seemingly "pointless" existence and their high reverence among most races forcibly brought his long gone friends up to his mind. If these were the ancestors of the night elves, where were the spirits of his comrades? The prophets taught that they joined the Creator's being but it made no sense to Sirexx. If He had created the qiraji from the silithid and then left them mostly on their own, why would He want to spend an eternity carrying a bunch of his own creations with Him? Sirexx preferred the idea that his friends were still in a way with him, even if the brown qiraji couldn't see them.

 _Perhaps we aren't completely apart, Idh'lash. I don't know if you're truly gone or just taken a different form. Maybe you're like these lights: memories and emotions in the winds… guiding us on the right path…_

Sirexx took a look at his friends. The night was no longer young but the beauty of Feralas kept Sirexx awake. He could feel the humming of the trees and the cold light dropping from the stars. Even if the monolithic majesty of Ahn'Qiraj was very dear to the Unseen, he was speechless about the natural beauty of the forest. The mission in Feralas had started slowly. They had waited for Danoxx's recovery for five days but the journey to Feralas was fast as most of the tauren had left with the army and the centaurs were easy enough to avoid. The latter had tried to attack the Unseen squad a few times but never got the chance due to the qirajis' superior intelligence.

Even if the journey was mostly free of obstacles, the search for Eldre'Thalas wasn't. Feralas was a huge area for a group of four to simply search for the ruins which were probably mostly swallowed by the forest and so the wasps weren't much of a help either. The only way to find the city would be to try to find some clues of where it could possibly be.

The four had discussed this the previous day. Even if nothing sure could be said, it made the most sense to try track down signs which were anomalies in the forest. As was commonly known, arcane magic was an opposite of life. Where magic thrived, death reigned supreme. They could only hope that the Shen'dralar were careless enough to have spread their taint outside their walls by accident.

* * *

"This area seems completely similar to the previous ones. Flora isn't suffering in any way and there are just as much animals here as everywhere else." Ke'nir sighed after investigating the vegetation. He was the best tracker of the group but even he couldn't find anything worthwhile. He had previously been assigned to long-distance missions which had carried him deep into central Kalimdor's plains and mountains and those trips had taught Ke'nir everything he needed to know about the art of finding one's way through hostile and unknown landscapes.

"This damn bush is too thick to even try to guess what would be the ideal place for a city! It's too lush to even know where we are going." Ra'jol was getting frustrated by the search and he was longing to get into action.

"It actually isn't. The stars are still there to guide us, as is our ability to feel the elements. It's harder to use now, thanks to the immense amount of plants and animals, but we're not lost. I pretty much know our location even if that doesn't help us that much… There is no going back until we have found Eldre'Thalas and completed our mission." Ke'nir was happy to be of use but despite that, his voice wasn't too spirited: they had made minimal progress thus far and the light at the end of the tunnel was nowhere in sight.

"Indeed. I'd like to get this done quickly. I know Pax'lish himself sent us here but it doesn't feel right to be on a trip in a forest while the others are fighting for their lives." Sirexx sounded a bit worried but he knew that there was no way the mission could be accelerated.

"For now we're much safer here. I don't fear a fight but why would we want to fight a battle we don't have to get involved in?" Danoxx said while listening to his trinket in case his minions had anything to report. His silithid were on the move even if Danoxx expected nothing of value from them.

"To serve the Creator and the Emperors! I'd gladly die for them and so should you!" Ra'jol longed for battle and Danoxx's attitude irritated him greatly. The High Ambusher simply sighed and ignored Ra'jol's outburst.

"Wait! There might be something here…" Ke'nir started to remove the vegetation around the spot he had found." As I thought! A tiny lifeless spot in the middle of the fertile woodland." The spot he had revealed was slightly blackened and everywhere around it grew healthy grass.

"Hmm, it's awfully small. I guess it must be from an unnatural source, arcane magic most likely, but does this really help us? Even if we found evidence that a mage has cast a spell here, it doesn't really lead us to the city, does it?" Danoxx sounded thoughtful as he looked at the spot that had been touched by the all-destructing force. It would heal eventually but slowly and painfully.

"It tells us one thing: that a member of Shen'dralar has been here not so long ago: perhaps about a month ago. Of course it isn't a certainty but I'd rather believe he wasn't on a peregrination of a lifetime. It's likely the night elf city isn't too far… Shen'dralar are quite a secretive group: I'd imagine they won't wander often too far from their home." Ke'nir pondered about the case and he sounded quite confident about his words. Not everyone agreed with him, however.

"This isn't a time for pure guesses and wishful thinking! The city could be tens of kilometers away as far as I'm concerned!" Ra'jol snarled at Ke'nir, clearly displeased with the shorter Unseen.

"Well, I'm the only one here who Ke'nir must convince, Ra'jol. I'd say he has a point. Of course it isn't a certainty but as I see it, there's a better chance that Eldre'Thalas is within a ten-kilometer radius." Danoxx wasn't on the mood to argue. He just hoped he had made the right call.

"That's still a huge area! It could be days before we find it." Sirexx said clearly displeased with the situation.

"Then let's get to work. If we find more dead points, we might be able to tell whether we're getting closer or further from Eldre'Thalas. Ke'nir, keep your eyes open." Danoxx said to the short Unseen who simply nodded to the High Ambusher's command.

* * *

The next hours were filled with highly discouraging search. The ancient primeval forest prevented wasps' effective search. The Shen'dralar hadn't been so stupid that they'd cast spells without reason, so every possible spot touched by arcane was a clear anomaly for the qiraji to find. Occasionally they would find a dead animal which had been killed with magic but they were highly dispersed and told close to nothing about the magi' home's whereabouts. They had followed the main river of Feralas for a long time to get a better picture of the area, all for naught. Until something unexpected happened…

"Aha! My wasps report that they found something very close. It appears that they have found a lone tauren, who is possibly on the hunt." Danoxx notified with a clearly pleased voice.

"What's the use? We aren't looking for taurens in case you didn't know." Ra'jol asked clearly frustrated.

"Also, in case you didn't know, most taurens around here are now allied with the elves so thee's a good chance that the tauren knows at least something about Eldre'Thalas' whereabouts." Danoxx responded in a dry voice, willing to silence Ra'jol's remarks as fast as he could.

"Well, I'm not too convinced either but let's take a look anyway. Capturing a lone tauren is a task completed in a minute." Sirexx sighed, clearly uninspired but still obedient.

* * *

The lone tauren had locked his eyes on a large bear which was sauntering back from a drinking trip to a nearby lake. The tauren was just about to throw his spear towards the bear and charge to finish it off but his experienced ears captured an extremely slight sound in a nearby bush. He immediately forgot about the bear and began to back towards a meadow behind him. In a moment he heard movement from his sides and just as he was about to run for it, a green-hooded and tall (but still shorter than the tauren) _being_ grabbed his waist and threw him into the ground aided by another stranger to his left. Just as he was about to try to fight back, the one to his left told him in a commanding voice.

"Don't try anything funny, tauren. Just surrender and you will not be hurt."

The hunter took a quick look around him and saw that there were four attackers. Fighting back would be futile. He was surprised to hear the attackers talking taur-ahe but their, at best odd, pronouncing made it hard for him to understand the words at first.

"Who are you? What are you doing?" The tauren asked the same questions most would ask in his situation.

"I'm sorry but we're going to ask the questions, at least for now. But first, we'll have to tie you up."

Danoxx nodded at Sirexx and Ke'nir to complete the deed. The tauren looked very hostile but he knew that nothing he did or said would improve his situation.

"As I said, we'd like to ask you something." Danoxx began with a casual announcement.

"There are few things worth of your while I'd tell you. You must be qiraji so you're my enemies." The tauren said in futile rage.

"If that's what you think, it can't be helped. But know that you'll get away unharmed if you tell us the way to the ruined night elf city, Eldre'Thalas, home of the Shen'dralar."

"Those feeble magic-users? My tribe has never been a friend of theirs but I know that telling you about it brings more harm to this land than my death."

"You know, we can do this whatever way you wish. If your tribe isn't a friend of the Shen'dralar, there is no reason for you to be afraid. We wish no harm for you if you're not with elves. They are our enemies, not you." Danoxx tried to sound as natural as possible but interrogation wasn't his favorite way of spending time.

"So you say but you attacked me without even the least of hesitation! I have completely no reason to believe you!"

"Of course we attacked you! We have our own mission and we'd like to complete it as quickly as we can! Our comrades and friends are dying defending our home from an attack and you question why we captured you? To do our duty and help our friends!" Sirexx couldn't believe the tauren was this oblivious to their situation and wanted to speed up the interrogation. The tauren was silent for a minute until he answered.

"The only thing I've ever heard of you is that you're bloodthirsty killers. Then again, the information has been passed on from the pompous wizards and our tribe's enemies from the Needles! I may doom our people by telling this but I have no wish to die today. You didn't attack my people anyway so I might as well cause the elves some trouble." The tauren seemed deeply conflicted but the four Unseen were happy to see that Sirexx's outburst had helped their cause.

"Eldre'Thalas or the Child of the Mountains of Rain, as it is called in our tongue, is located nearly a day's journey to the northeast. It rests in a deep valley in the middle of the mountains to the north. Just find the mountains and you should be able to see the walls."

"Thank you for your help, tauren. Before we let you go, I'll give you a warning: if you, or your tribesmen, try to alert the elves, their lives will end swiftly. No games, no futile deaths." Danoxx's voice was grim but unthreatening.

"Of course not. The elves will get the privilege of dealing with you." the tauren seemed honest but a bit concerned.

"Good. Untie him!"

The tauren rose slowly in case the qiraji were planning something but then escaped quickly.

"Do you think we can trust him?" Sirexx asked wondering about their former captive's words.

"I'd say yes. I don't think he had any good reasons to lie and even if we never asked for it, I recognized his clan. He's a Woodrunner. I think he considered the possibility that we might come after him in case he lied and knew that telling the truth would be the only way to protect his tribe. Anyway, we'll see soon enough." Danoxx sounded confident but not overly so: he knew his words were mere speculation for now and he could be proven wrong.

* * *

The four returned to the river and followed it about an hour back to the west. Danoxx's wasps had located the mountains and guided the Unseen toward the valley where Eldre'Thalas was supposed to lie in. The forest looked the same everywhere even if the landscape became more rugged the farther north they moved. The first few hours from the river were harder to pass due to high hills and gorges. Eventually, the ground begun to flatten.

The journey was mostly tedious and they could find no traces of the night elves they were looking for. Unlike their mainstream brethren, the Shen'dralar built no camps outside their home or any shrines or even moonwells. Their entire culture lived inside the ruins of a long-dead city. For the rest of Feralas, the existence of the secretive brotherhood was a complete curiosity.

After a march which felt like it lasted an eternity, a wall of solid rock begun to appear behind the giant trees. According to the wasps, they had reached the western side of the twin mountain range which surrounded the night elf city.

* * *

"The wasps claim that the city is only three hundred meters from us but I see no reason to continue today. We've found Eldre'Thalas and considering our position on the morning, I'd call this a major development." Danoxx offered to his subordinates.

"Indeed. It's a Creator's miracle we're even here! I had already resigned to the fact that we'd wander around this cursed forest for a damn month!" Ra'jol snorted.

"Finding a place to rest at least won't be a problem. Did you notice that there were no animals during our last half an hour's march? Ke'nir asked the question but not really expecting an answer.

"Also, the trees grew smaller and more stunted the closer we got to this place. It's obvious that there's something wrong about their magic: the prophets' spells cause no damage to nature nor to any living before they will it. This magic however, kills everything whether the caster wanted it or not." Sirexx said, clearly loathing arcane magic for its side effects.

"All the better that we'll destroy its source. If we're luckily, tomorrow all of this will be a bad memory." Ke'nir said in a reassuring voice.

"If only it will be that easy… But we'll see. Maybe you're right." Sirexx didn't feel as confident but he really hoped Ke'nir was right.

The shadows of the forest had grown very long by now and the long march took its toll. In the cover of the great mountains, the four Unseen prepared for tomorrow. Whether it yielded success or death was to be seen but none of it mattered now. All that mattered was that the qiraji had found the city and the mission was about to begin. What would happen next, was a question best left for the coming day.


	16. The Ruin of the Highborne

The Ruin of the Highborne

The walls of Eldre'Thalas must have once been a sight of great beauty and majesty. They were very high even though Ahn'Qiraj's own walls still dwarfed them. Whereas the qiraji city's initial impression was based on its grandeur around its monolithic and mysterious appearance, Eldre'Thalas's was originally based on its elegance and power. The white walls were originally covered with giant statues and exquisite decorations.

These days, however, the sight was almost sad. The walls were greenish, almost completely covered in plants. There were large chunks of rock which had simply fallen off. The carvings were almost completely hidden from sight due to the vegetation and detrition. The sight gave the same impression they probably were supposed to give: that these were millennia-old ruins which were of no interest to anyone.

In the middle of the walls opened a gaping pathway, the gate itself long since gone. This unexpected turn of events puzzled Danoxx's squad greatly and Ke'nir was the first to break the silence.

"What is this? I mean, we did know we were looking for ruins but this? It's a small miracle the walls are even standing! How can anyone self-respecting creature call this a home, let alone a capital!" Ke'nir spoke clearly surprised by the ruins' condition.

"They most likely just wish to avoid any attention that they might receive." Sirexx offered to Ke'nir.

"Or maybe they're simply savages who cannot even keep their home in a respectable condition! This simply proves their lack of civilization!" Ra'jol snorted, clearly loathing the Shen'dralar.

"Well, that matters little. All that matters to us is getting inside the city. The magi have no way to sense our presence but that doesn't mean we can just march in." Danoxx said calmly.

"I don't know why but it seems to me that this place is completely abandoned. I mean, it's possible that they can be stationed in a small part of the city, can't they?"

"Indeed they can, Sirexx, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be careful. As long as we don't know where they are, we have to act like they're everywhere. That's why we begin by climbing over the walls. We will have a better chance to monitor the city interior that way." Danoxx headed for the wall to his right. He then called a group of wasps to take a rope to the top of the wall and find a place where they could tie it. After that the climb would be easy as the qiraji legs found easily something to grab on.

The others did the same as this was the normal way for them to climb vertical obstacles, like walls or mesas. Walls were harder of course due to them being flatter and it was harder to find a foothold on them. Nevertheless, climbing walls was an important skill for an Unseen and inability to do so would lead to problems sooner than later.

 _Hmm… the courtyard's completely empty. I cannot see any possible sentries anywhere._

Sirexx couldn't say he was surprised to see that after the condition of the outer walls. If someone indeed lived here, they had a brilliant hideout. The only thing that caught an intruder's interest was a giant ruined building in the middle of the courtyard. The place was surrounded by walls but there seemed to be some doorways on the other side of the plaza. There was nothing that would have prevented descending from the wall.

"Now I'd say it's a good idea to split up. We'll have an easier time trying to locate the elves. Let's group up at midday on this courtyard. I and Ke'nir will go right, Sirexx and Ra'jol right."

The others simply nodded to Danoxx's proposition. The morning was still young so there would be plenty of time before noon. The shadows were shrinking at a fast pace but they still lingered in the abandoned hallways. Even if the city seemed completely abandoned, thinking so would be a great mistake.

Sirexx was the first one to notice the lingering presence of other beings. In the narrow paths of Eldre'Thalas, he heard ominous voices from the walls which made no sense to him.

 _Laughing and… wailing?_ _Am I becoming crazy?_

Ra'jol didn't seem to notice anything and Sirexx didn't want to bring up his concerns. The walls seemed to get colder by the minute even if the sun was steadily rising. The numerous night elven statues which dotted the sides of the hallway, bore threatening and anxious expressions.

 _Finally, an opening! Hopefully, everything's going to be normal from here on… This place is giving me creeps._

* * *

Ra'jol was just about to enter the opening plaza when he suddenly stopped. Something felt wrong to him. Not the silence which penetrated the entire world nor the voices which bothered Sirexx. Rather, the opening _felt_ like it held a concentration of force unknown to him. Also, after a moment, his qiraji ears caught a faint sound of breathing and it was not Sirexx's. He quickly looked at his comrade who nodded back. They had both noted the same thing. There was an ambush waiting for them.

Both Unseen concentrated their powers on the spot where the odd power could be felt. Just as they were about to launch the combined shock wave, both of their castings were stopped to the duo's horror. They could feel their chelae being grabbed but they didn't feel any kind of pressure or the attackers' skin.

Sirexx looked in horror to his back. He saw an extremely long and transparent form grabbing his chelae and reaching for his neck, presumably to choke the hapless Unseen. It had no recognizable face, and the being resembled none of the races Sirexx knew. But neither was the being aware of the abilities of the qiraji. With the crystal in his pocket, Sirexx's ability to call for help was made harder but not impossible. After a moment of careful concentration with his antennae, he managed to activate the crystal and call for a group of silithid to distract the mysterious attacker.

Sirexx could feel his breath beginning to die out when he heard a huge scream behind him. At the same time, he could feel his breath beginning to return. Without second thoughts he stabbed his attacker countless times until it disappeared with a wailing violently. In front of him were now only a few silithid reavers, locust-resembling insects which were much larger than wasps or drones. They were the primary fighting force of silithid swarms.

Ra'jol had also found a way to release himself. He had managed to wrest the wraith's "hands" off his throat and crushed the ghost with his chelae. The two qiraji panted a moment in shock before both sprinted away from the spot. A few seconds afterwards, in the duo's former places crackled a dark and malevolent magic which had missed its mark.

However, both of them knew their scouting mission had failed for now. The casters of the mysterious magic were still there, waiting for them. The wraiths had merely scared them away for a moment and they had probably already started to regroup for a counterattack. If the duo wanted to do something, it had to be done now. Both of them knew the situation and attacked without even looking at one another's expression.

Ra'jol was the first one to appear from the hallway. At first he saw nothing of interest but when he looked to his left, he saw six highly intriguing creatures.

 _What…? Their face looks like a night elf's but horns? Hairy legs?_

Ra'jol had no time to wonder about his enemies' appearance. They had already restarted casting their spells and a few highly muscular individuals drew swords from their scabbards. Ra'jol was positive that there were more enemies behind him but Sirexx had taken care of his back. The two knew they could trust their lives on the other one's hands. Even if Ra'jol and Sirexx weren't the closest ones of their squad, they knew both of them were more than capable of handling themselves. They had proven that far too many times before to question the other one's abilities in the ways of the Unseen.

Sirexx begun his advance quickly. He wanted to bypass the melee fighters and take out at least some of the magi before handling the others. He dodged one of a horned night elf's attack and stabbed another one with one of his poisoned knives. The latter one would be dead in a minute. However, he knew he couldn't just charge at the magi as they had nearly finished their spells. The brown qiraji would have to dodge the spells first.

Pools of black magic were forming in the unknown enemies' hands and they threw the dark spheres at Sirexx. The Unseen could hear a single grunt from Ra'jol but decided that it didn't sound serious. He dismissed his comrade's fight from his mind and parried one of the spells with his crippled chela. A few of the reavers had followed the duo and Sirexx commanded them to take out some of the magi.

The satyrs were highly skilled in their dark magic but they were used to fighting the Shen'dralar or taurens against which raw power was a great asset. The Unseen, however, were a completely different story. They moved with great agility and fought with their limbs and minor weapons, not with magic or greatswords or –axes. The satyr magi had great difficulties trying to hit the qiraji and the melee fighters needed to cause direct hit to the head or stomach to inflict a serious injury to the insectoids due to their chitin armor.

Even if the satyrs had an overwhelming numerical advantage, they simply couldn't seem to bring down the two intruders. Poison flowed, necks snapped but the qiraji suffered only minor harm. The satyrs continued the fight despite of their disbelief about the duo's fighting technique. After they had lost over a dozen fighters, the satyrs begun to back down.

"See, Ra'jol? They seem to gather at that door! I doubt that they're allied with the Shen'dralar so the other door is our best bet!" Sirexx voiced his thoughts to the taller qiraji.

"Why is that? They pretty much look similar and they both use magic!" Ra'jol couldn't see outsiders the way Sirexx did and the few similarities they possessed would simply grow in Ra'jol's mind.

"We didn't see any of these horned elves in the army and their magic isn't similar to the Shen'dralar's. I'm quite sure the two groups are just living here but not cooperating."

"I don't care but let's take a look at your way, then! It cannot be any worse than that one filled with these hairy elfs!" Indeed, the two Unseen could only hope their mission wouldn't be complicated even further. They had found no traces of the Shen'dralar but they had made a new enemy.

The new hallway offered little hope of breakthrough. It was just like the previous one except for the fact that it had a ceiling. Perhaps this could take them to the presumed sanctuary of the Shen'dralar?

The hallway was decorated with beautiful patterning and above them was a wide line which was covered with texts in Darnassian. Sirexx had no idea what they said but perhaps they held stories about the city's history or offered praise for the builders of Eldre'Thalas. They would possibly help in trying to figure out the city's layout but all that was just speculation. The opening room was more of a hall than a courtyard. Its architecture was a continuation of the city's general style but its ceiling completely covered the hall unlike the previous courtyards. They had entered a massive building but it would be of little help until they found some proper clues.

"There's no reason for us to stick together now. Let's just split up and we'll have a better chance at finding something!" Ra'jol's voice was becoming gradually more displeased.

"You're right… This is becoming quite a labyrinth. Let's meet here well before noon, though. We have to get back to others in time." Sirexx's voice was dispirited but not despairing. They would find something eventually.

 _What is this place? It doesn't even look like a city! It's just endless hallways and courtyards! I know there were probably few residents to begin with but this is just a pointless labyrinth! Is all of this made just to confuse an intruder? Or have the horned elves conquered the only district which resembles an actual city?_

Sirexx's initial impression of Eldre'Thalas had quickly disappeared. Even if the place resonated grace and beauty, its complexity and lack of clear directions confused the Unseen greatly. The Shen'dralar had chosen their refuge well. Sirexx had gone through two hallways and courtyards before he noticed anything interesting.

 _The flies are leaving the corridor to my left… Let's take a look._

Uncontained arcane magic was dangerous for any form of life and it was a good bet for the flies' odd behavior. Sirexx moved to the mouth of the hallway and felt a slight but raw resonance of arcane in the air and the elements were silent here. In the end of the corridor opened one more hall. Something told the Unseen that he didn't have to go any further. The presence in the air was clear and there was only one logical explanation. The Shen'dralar's hideout was here.

* * *

"It seems you're correct, Sirexx. This place is resonating with magic. The downside is that it's impossible to sneak through that corridor undetected!" Danoxx's voice was somewhat happy to have found their target. His last sentence, however, carried a distinct tone of frustration. His own search had been quite uneventful except that he, too, had encountered the horned night elves in the eastern wing. He and Ke'nir had had no problems dealing with them but Danoxx had become quite worried about their mission before Sirexx's news…

"I'll be damned if the other side of the corridor isn't trapped! Letting them know about our presence isn't the best way to get information about their magic." Ke'nir was deep in thought, analyzing the different ways of entering the headquarters of the Shen'dralar.

Sirexx interrupted the dispiriting ponderings of his comrades and voiced his vision of how they should proceed.

"I've had the time to think about this while I waited for Ra'jol. We must advance slowly and hope that the elves don't realize my plan. Here's what we should do…"

* * *

The many magical barriers of the Shen'dralar's sanctum begun to resonate with the warning of intrusion. They were simply meant to detect anyone entering the inner sanctum, not attack the intruders in a case an ally night elf or some animal happened to enter the hall. Now, they sensed a presence of an outsider but couldn't pinpoint his location. In any case, a clear warning required a good look…

* * *

"The insufferable satyrs without a doubt think they have a new spell to attack us with. I've killed thousands of them in my lifetime yet they still can't get the clue! We should just exterminate them once and for all…"

Ulden Windsong wasn't known for his love of satyrs or anything that threatened the magisters' sanctuary. They seldom received serious threats to their existence so checking out the reported threats was usually a boring chore. No creature anywhere nearby was powerful enough to challenge a full-fledged Kaldorei Highborne.

"Hmmm? Nothing? Most likely a rabbit but let's look a bit further." Ulden investigated the readings of the guarding spells and found nothing of particular interest. The high hall was empty of any living presence save for him. He cast a large ball of raw arcane power into the hallway leading out of the hall in order to check out any possible stealthers hiding there. He was about to turn back to the door leading back to the Shen'dralar library when he felt another ripple in the spell shield guarding the place.

A heavy frown emerged on Ulden's face. There was no sign of attackers but he couldn't leave the place until he had come to a conclusion about the source of the disruption. The tall night elf begun to cast a spell which would check out the surrounding rooms in case of any intruders. To his puzzlement, even after a wave after a wave of arcane power left the room, he detected nothing. He _knew_ the shields had noticed something, he _knew_ the intrusion was real… but where was the attacker? He wasn't permitted to enter the hallway alone as a captive member of Shen'dralar would be a total catastrophe to their secrets but Ulden wasn't fond to call for help just yet.

The Kaldorei magister had still wanted to believe this had been a wrong call but suddenly the shield seemed to go mad. Suddenly there were a hundred ripples coming from several spots, from below him, from the ceiling… and right before him. There were only two possibilities: their enemy was invisible to an eye and magic or their own magic had betrayed them. In any case, he needed assistance.

* * *

"Nicely planned thus far, Sirexx. I still am not fully confident this'll work but I trust in your judgement. "Ke'nir whispered to Sirexx. The brown qiraji's plan was slowly coming together. They were following the developments through the silithid beneath the Shen'dralar hall.

"It will Ke'nir, with utmost certainty." Sirexx whispered in an enthusiastic yet slightly unsure voice. He believed in himself but wasn't still fully used to being directly responsible of their mission's progress. In any case, he was confident in his plan and wished to see it succeed.

He had managed to alert the whole Shen'dralar using the silithid drones to burrow underneath the hall to alert the guarding spell and had used the qirajis' elemental skills to disrupt the shield's stability. Now they would have to hope that the Shen'dralar would think everything as a result of an issue in the spell itself. In that case they would have to recast the shield and the Unseen would get an opportunity to enter the sanctum of the last living Kaldorei magisters.

* * *

"There's no way the shield would fail just by itself! It is extremely rare and occurs only when we're weakened by battle! There must be an attacker somewhere!" One of the eldest Shen'dralar thundered to Ulden.

"But where? I've utilized all of our investigating spells and I've found nothing capable of attacking us!" Ulden hated to argue with his superiors as they were highly arrogant and deemed all their subordinates as duffers.

"You know recasting the shield will leave us vulnerable to attacks. If there indeed is an enemy, we'll walk right into their trap." Another high-ranking Shen'dralar said in a calmer tone but still clearly disapproving of the proposition.

"The shield will be completely useless anyway if we leave it be. I for one don't wish to spent the evening listening to it resonate our walls off!" Ulden just wished to get it done so he could resume his game of chess with another magister.

Even if the higher-ranking magi were highly pompous and self-righteous, they weren't arrogant enough to dismiss the facts. They couldn't deny that the shield was useless now. All that they could actually do was to hope that they'd manage to stop any intruders trying to get in during the casting of the spell.

"Very well. Let's begin right away. The shield is too complex to cast for a normal mage so you young ones will guard the entrance. But be warned: if anyone enters our sanctum, the consequences will be dire for all of us." The two elder magi took highly harsh looks and turned to demolish the old shield. The new one wouldn't be ready until half an hour later.

* * *

 _They don't have a choice, really. Now they probably think they can prevent us from entering by standing vigilant. Soon they'll know they're wrong._

Sirexx was increasingly happy with his plan even if he knew merely entering the building wasn't the true challenge. The three other Unseen were preparing for the intrusion of the Highborne sanctum. The shadows of the quickly darkening night would hide them from gazes but the hard part would be averting the spells before they could detect them. Even if the main shield was shut down, the magi would still cast lesser investigating spells. Only help from the chaotic elements at the right times could hide them from them.

"Let's go, everyone. The time is right." Danoxx said through his crystal in order to cause minimum noise.

The Highborne never were adept at fighting indirect battles or detecting hiding enemies. Raw power and knowledge were their forte and few beings would want to engage a member of Shen'dralar in direct battle. The Unseen weren't one of these.

Harsh training and help from the elements enabled the qiraji to effectively hide from naked eye but the effect wasn't reliable. Tricks of the light could turn against the user quickly and the real challenge was to know when this would happen.

* * *

Ulden and five of his fellow Shen'dralar were casting their detection spells while guarding the door leading to the hall. The dark hallway in front of them spoke of no danger but all of them were getting a bit tense from tonight's unexpected episode. While they stared into the darkness, they heard a surprised gasp as one of the shield casters fell to the ground. The spell's casting was disturbed for a moment as was the guards' attention which would be a well-used opportunity for their foes. The surprise of the spell failing and two of their superiors falling unexpectedly created just enough confusion.

* * *

The four Unseen didn't hesitate a moment. Danoxx had broken a part of the paving on the floor, causing two magisters to fall. During the short confusion the way into the Shen'dralar sanctum was open. Sirexx's plan had worked as intended. Now would start the hard part: finding the source of the order's power. Another thing to remember was that if any of the four was detected, the chance of escaping the ruined city alive would be minimal.

* * *

 **Apologies for the long wait, but I had quite a busy June. From now on updates should return to normal. Any comments would be welcome.**


	17. Woodland Beyond the Mortal Realm

Woodland Beyond the Mortal Realm

"This is simply too much. All of this can't just be a coincidence. All of this mischief was done simply to draw our attention and now, most likely, our invisible enemies have entered our sanctum." One of the elder magi spoke in a displeased voice. It was too late to cast a new shield now.

"But who are they? None of our enemies are this good at hiding!" One of Ulden's colleagues asked.

"You're right. Which means it must be a new one. The satyrs or tauren can't be behind this. Our only new enemy are the qiraji and we know nothing about them." Ulden answered in a serious voice.

"It is extremely unlikely that they would have found our sanctuary. Whoever the intruder is, find them! They must not leave Eldre'Thalas alive!" A high-ranking mage commanded in an uncompromising tone. Everyone knew this was an absolute necessity and begun to gather the rest of the Shen'dralar for the search. The hunt for the attackers would begin shortly.

* * *

The hall was more massive than it had seemed from the hallway. It was a huge courtyard surrounded by walls like every other room in the city. The anomaly here was a sizable room confined by columns in the center of the courtyards. The columns were as high as the walls around it and carried similar carvings. A bright bluish light illuminated the center of the room and radiated from between the columns.

" _We have no time to wonder about this ring of columns right now! We must enter that other hallway and find temporary shelter!"_ Danoxx spoke through his crystal, reminding the others of the danger that was beginning to gather around them.

" _Let's proceed cautiously. We'll get our chance by eavesdropping and interrogating some poor fool."_ Ke'nir remindedhis comrades about the ways they should proceed. The two others knew Ke'nir was right and stayed silent. On the left of the hallway they had come from a second, larger hallway. This huge courtyard they saw was unlikely to be the living quarters of the Shen'dralar so the door that led out of the gigantic room most likely had to lead there.

* * *

All of the Highborne were searching every possible place for the rumored invader. Half an hour had passed since the casting of the sensory spell had failed and most had agreed that the invaders' main target was their library due to its many books which spoke of spells of immense power. Additionally, the large library called the Athenaeum, was probably the easiest place to hide from sight. The huge courtyard contained the order's most prized possession but only Prince Toltheldrin and some of his associates knew the full truth of its true nature or what is actually was. The Athenaeum was a more obvious choice for a knowledge-hungry intruder.

The nightly Athenaeum was a perfect place to hide from sight. Ulden cursed the unknown intruder for this evening's troubles but he also knew that the danger was real. When he walked between the imposing bookshelves in the dark room, he could swear he felt enemy eyes on his back. Yet, he had seen nothing. Every time he thought he was seeing something, it was a shadow or some of his fellow magi searching for the near-ghastly enemy. The night would be long and Ulden had a feeling that not all of his order would see the sunrise.

* * *

The top of the many bookshelves separated by only extremely narrow spaces proved to be extremely useful places to hide from the feverishly searching Kaldorei. Of course the Unseen couldn't linger there forever as their mission wouldn't progress and the Shen'dralar would surely begin to check the tops sooner or later. For now they had to proceed carefully, however. Only he and Danoxx could read night elf writing decently enough to understand the main message in the vast collections of scribblings. The two would have to search for the right books or eventually they'd have to take a prisoner for interrogation.

Sirexx jumped nearly noiselessly down into one of the gaps between shelves and begun to spell the shelves of the books in order to find out their subjects. Ra'jol would warn him when someone was approaching.

 _Well of Eternity? Useless. The Hillbillies Called Druids? What? Advanced Study on Arcane Missiles? Who cares?_

Sirexx wasn't sold at all about the books he had encountered and they most likely didn't containanything of worth to him. Danoxx apparently wasn't any luckier as his crystal was completely silent. They all knew this would take time but lingering for too long would increase the possibility of the danger they were in.

" _Sirexx! Hurry, get out of there!"_ Ra'jol's voice resonated from the crystal and carried a certain amount of urgency. The brown qiraji quickly put the books back in order and begun his escape. There was a ladder nearby but it was too frail for a qiraji. The shelves themselves, however, were too large for an elf to climb but for a qiraji they were ideal. In mere seconds, Sirexx was on the top.

And not a moment too soon. A trio of female night elves arrived in the space a moment later and noticed nothing out of ordinary. They passed the space quickly and left it unoccupied. Sirexx and Ra'jol nodded to each other knowledging that the mission could continue.

* * *

Ulden was beginning to believe the elves' approach to the search was inappropriate. Either the enemy was completely invisible or hid in most unusual places. After all that had happened, he was reluctant to believe the intruder was unreal. His two companions were becoming slightly anxious about unknown and ghastly enemies hiding in the shadows of their own sanctuary. Despite their fear, they agreed that simply charging here and there solved nothing.

Even if he didn't fully believe it himself, Ulden thought that the top of the book shelves would be a good place to start the search. Whatever the enemy was, it would be hard to hide there from the searchers' gaze if that was their hiding place. A little bit of confidence came from the fact that the enemy probably didn't want to kill the elves right now as that would cause too much attention.

" _Bad news, Danoxx! The elves are getting up here so just try to survive down there. I'll join you shortly."_

Danoxx cursed silently at Ke'nir's remark. Tens of volumes of praise for the magisters of pre-Sundering Zin-Azshari didn't spark the High Ambusher's interest and even if he knew the elves would come up with searching the bookshelves eventually, it didn't prevent him from hoping the unlikely alternative. From now on avoiding the Highborne would become a real challenge.

" _Don't, Ke'nir. Either find another observation post or go to the courtyard. Only I and Sirexx can read the texts and if you can't warn us of danger, it's best if you stay out of the way."_

Ke'nir was taken aback by Danoxx's command. He couldn't think of any circumstances where any member of his squad had been a hindrance but he understood Danoxx's logic.

" _I'll tell if I find anything useful, Danoxx. If not, forget about me"._

* * *

Ra'jol had also noticed the approaching danger. He however was far enough from Ulden and his companions so that for the time being, Ra'jol would able to hide from their gaze. Even then he already knew he couldn't be of help for much longer. Sooner rather than later he would have to follow Ke'nir's example. If the two Unseen literate in Kaldorei language found nothing of interest, they would contact their comrades.

Sirexx gritted his jaws, losing his faith in the contents of the library. There was massive amounts of spell study, history and geography but extremely little about Shen'dralar. It was as if volumes concerning the organization weren't written at all. The Unseen could only guess at which order the books were assembled but it seemed to make no sense to an outsider. However, he didn't really have a choice to quit the job as long as there was a chance that the key to their success would lie in the library. Finding the answer from the books would optimal as taking a hostage always carried far higher risks.

" _A group of Shen'dralar coming from your left. There are no others in sight. Some have probably given up the search already."_

" _Thanks, I'll get them off my back."_

Little did Sirexx know that the night would become far more memorable than he thought. The qiraji was about to turn to the next gap between shelves when a strange feeling embraced him. The bookshelves around him seemed to disappear as did the room altogether. He felt like he was falling forward into a dark void. He couldn't open his eyes until he hit the ground far lower than where the floor was supposed to be.

* * *

 _What? Did I see wrong or… did he just disappear?_

Ra'jol was puzzled and concerned by this development. The darkness might have played with his eyes but qiraji eyes usually saw incredibly well in the dark. Ra'jol's wondering was stopped by a sound that greeted his ears. Sounds of feet jumping over the bookshelves. No matter how badly he wished otherwise, he would have to escape without delay. The chasers had possibly seen him already.

* * *

Ulden was encouraged by a passingly faint shadow in the far corner of the hall, standing over one of the last bookshelves. Whatever it was, it seemed to disappear as they approached it. Even though it had quickly disappeared, it was now clear to Ulden that whatever the intruder was, it was without a doubt real. However faint the chance was, he wouldn't let this pass. He would get to the bottom of who was behind the mysterious shady being. The hunt was on.

* * *

 _When you walk among the Black Forest, you will see…_

The frigid depths of a horrifying voice woke Sirexx from his momentary shock caused by the long fall. To his surprise, even if he knew that his eyes worked fine, he could see extremely little.

 _The fool Y'shaarj remained distant to this reality… even if he understood it. We'll see how a tiny insect fares in lands unseen…_

A wave of panic was flowing into Sirexx's mind. The voice chilled him to the bone yet it carried a trustworthy tone. His eyes begun to paint a picture of his surroundings but it only added to his confusion. He saw silhouettes of dead trees before him but they seemed extremely distant even if they had to be close. The ground on which he was lying was scorched and barren of life. The air was chilling and carried a strange and unfamiliar scent.

"Wh-where am I? What is this place?" Sirexx asked silently with a stunned voice. To his horror, no answer ever came. Only an ever so light wind greeted his ears and made the branches of the surrounding trees develop monstrous features. When he looked around him, Sirexx noticed that none of the directions looked familiar, no matter how many times he turned around. The trees and possible paths transformed into new, different ones and the old setting was gone in mere seconds.

The brown Unseen was too overwhelmed by the events of the last minute to couldn't even begin to comprehend what had happened to him. Sirexx begun to move in one direction, too shocked to even think about the way he was going. The way he was going was riddled with sudden gorges which would appear from nowhere and close up as fast. In the distant horizon, mountains slid wherever they wished and painted a horrifying sight against the pitch-black sky. As if the place was in complete chaos which was still somehow guided by some unearthly rules. The place was too dark to see even the tip of your chela but for some odd reason you could still see distant objects, albeit faintly.

In this landscape of darkness and death, Sirexx felt the ground beneath his feet shake and shatter. The deep horror in the qiraji made him only more twitchy and nimble and he rolled to his right before the ground broke. Disbelief and confusion radiated from the Unseen's eyes as he gazed upon the creature which rose up from the newly formed hole. It resembled a fish, but its head was covered by a matter that resembled bone and it seemed to have no recognizable face. From its chin started a set of tentacles. What really stood out was that it had no legs: it slithered forwards using its tail. The monstrous creature's main weapon seemed to be its giant tentacle arms.

Sirexx stared at the towering monstrosity, desperately wanting to flee. Behind him, he saw that the trees had now moved much closer, leaving only a small path through which he could escape. The qiraji sprinted through it, making good progress on his escape. After a while, which felt like endless eternities to Sirexx, he stumbled on a large root, falling into the black ground. Panting heavily, he took a look behind him. The sight that greeted made his heart jump into his throat and almost made him scream.

The clearing from which he had escaped from was only fifty meters away and his monstrous opponent was advancing toward him. The terrifying silhouette approached him by the path which was surrounded by the dead forest which was illuminated with the ghastly light of the place was almost enough to make Sirexx wish the monster would just kill him quickly. However, the memory of the odd voice returned to his mind.

 _We'll see how a tiny insect fares in lands unseen… I have to fight that? That… thing will kill me in seconds! Yet something in the voice told me that whoever sent me here believes I can do this. I have no other choice than to make my stand!_

Even if Sirexx was trembling out of fear and terror, suppressing the pressure born out of fear was something every qiraji had to be able to do. With a wicked burst of adrenaline, he charged at the monster stabbing it with a poisoned dagger to its fish-resembling torso. The brown qiraji dodged the tentacles with quick bow and jumping to the left. Sirexx wasn't particularly surprised to see that his poison had no effect as the monster was nothing like his past opponents physically.

 _A creature that massive could bleed for an hour and still fight. I have only one chance…_

With a violent outburst of rage, Sirexx jumped at creature's head, sinking his largest dagger into the creature's skull. The creature tried to grab the insectoid hanging from its head but soon life begun to depart its body. It's "blood" made Sirexx's skin burn and his mind to black out for a moment.

 _The pawn has taken the first step. Know this: you are not the first one to have done so nor the last._

 _Sirexx could see flashes of flowing rivers of lava in a scorched earth, mountains of black and a burning sky. Hordes of monstrous and unknown creatures fighting each other. Thousands dead without any progress. At the same time, storms of lightning hit the battlefield, along with whirlwind-like winds. Any fighter trying to flee was immediately scorched by some natural catastrophe._

 _Lovely vision, no? You will know before long who you serve._

* * *

Sirexx once again regained his senses and realized that he was staring at the dead monstrosity. Its head was still penetrated by his dagger and its dark blue blood covered the surrounding trees and ground. The qiraji was too overwhelmed by the recent events and visions to form a single coherent thought. He simply recovered his dagger and noticed that the forest around him had returned to normal. The narrow path surrounded by walls of trees was gone.

The forest begun to slope downwards. Sirexx had walked for maybe a few minutes when he noticed something falling down on him.

 _Rain. At… at least something familiar. At least this place has some similar features to Kalimdor, wher… whatever this place is._

That wasn't completely true as the drops weren't composed of water: rather they resembled a mixture of ash and some vile acid. They burned holes in Sirexx's cloak and colored his chitin armor black. However, it brought some relief to Sirexx as the sound of raindrops broke the eerie silence of the forest.

The seemingly endless woodland eventually gave way to a few small clearings that were littered with ominous dark forms. Sirexx looked at them curiously, happy to see something anomalous in the horrifying monotony, whatever they'd turn out to be. The outline of the forms cleared slowly but they bore no malicious features.

 _Houses? Here? Who would build anything in this hellhole?_

Sirexx approached the buildings cautiously, bearing in his mind the memory of the recent attack. He wasn't sure how many similar encounters he would survive. The houses seemed ancient, but they were miraculously still standing. The door of one of the houses was gaping open, hanging from only one hinge. Something about the three storey building made Sirexx feel extremely uncomfortable and restless. The architecture was completely alien to the qiraji and for that reason he felt certain unexplained fear about the house.

The interior of the building was pitch-black and seemingly disintegrating slowly. Even if the rain and wind outside was light, the house's foundations resonated heavily with it. When Sirexx first heard it, the deep wailing of the house, he almost got frightened to death. The rooms themselves seemed to sway in synch with the voice.

 _As if the house is… sighing? What the hell is going on here?_

The building was made of wood but any kind of furniture that must have been here was long since gone. The architecture told very little about its builders due to its simplistic build and lack of content.

 _Not that it matters… I'm not in Kalimdor anymore… There's nothing I could know about here._

 _In a way, you are. A certain version of old Kalimdor anyway. There is something you have to learn here._

Sirexx couldn't help but tremble every time the monstrous voice spoke in his mind. He didn't know which chilled him the most: the voice itself or the content of its sayings. This horrifying landscape is the old pre-Sundering Kalimdor? Had he time-travelled? As far as he was concerned, anything was possible at this point.

The stairs to the third floor were mostly gone but Sirexx managed to climb them with a leap to upstairs. The house became more fragile every floor he passed and the sighing became ever more violent. Sirexx would have wanted to leave immediately but where would he go?

 _This is terrible… I couldn't care less about any voices, this hell or anything this… whatever it is, wants me to see. More than likely, because of him, I'll never see my comrades or Promise again!_

The thought scared and infuriated Sirexx greatly but he kept the feelings to himself, as his captor would hardly let him go anyway and he didn't want to feel any pettier than he already did. For now, his only chance was to follow the voice's instructions.

Even if the floor was hidden from gaze due to the near-complete darkness, the Unseen begun to notice that the floor got stickier and caused non-physical agony in Sirexx's head and legs. It was as if they brought to his mind distant and buried memories to his mind…

 _The fates of species can be manipulated without end. Your and your ancestors' species weren't different._

Sirexx frowned at this comment. The Creator had evolved the qiraji from the Aqir but that had been a clear upgrade. The Aqir were violent and lacked their successors' intelligence. What was this crazy voice going to tell now?

Suddenly a door appeared in front of the qiraji, where just a moment before had only stood an open corridor. Sirexx hesitated whether he had the courage to see what was behind it but as he knew, he had no choice. With a heavy and fearing heart, Sirexx turned the knob and opened the door.

The room was even darker than the rest of the house had been. Even with the excellent night vision of the qiraji, he had to stare for a moment before he saw anything. The first things he saw looked like outlines of some larger, long-since dead night elves, surrounded by black matter. They bore expressions of horror. For a moment, Sirexx was puzzled at what he was supposed to learn from this sight but after a moment he spotted some curious details.

First, the corpses weren't night elves'. They were too large and had no elvish eyes or hair and were more muscular. As if they were a less sophisticated and more brutal counterpart of the elves. What stroke Sirexx most was that one of the shorter ones had beginnings of a fragile chela where her hand was supposed to be. Her skin looked harder than a night elf's usually was and her mouth looked narrower. In shock, the Unseen begun to notice similar, if less-developed, features in the other corpses.

 _No one could escape the desert god's will. Not even the ones who after the Ordering would be called the vrykul. This is what happens to those who bow down to the one you call the Creator._

Sirexx panted heavily. His ancestors were mutated forms of other beings? The thought made him uncomfortable and afraid, even if he had never known these poor fools' kind.

"You can't just claim you know everything about my people and tell me that we're just mutated abominations! Who are you even?" Sirexx shouted his rage and frustration toward the roof but only drops of rain greeted his ears. Sirexx dropped to his knees, sobbing his fate. To wander in an unknown, hellish world, cut off from all he had known and forced to witness ever more disheartening claims. After a moment, as if to add to his misery, he could feel the now familiar visions return.

 _A horde of beings very similar to the qiraji were being shattered under the weight of weeks of nonstop work, building citadels of thorium, each dwarfing Ahn'Qiraj like the latter would dwarf Promise's Me'lesh playing hall. The rain of fire and violent earthquake's only added to the suffering. The insectoids were overseen by nightmarish but somewhat familiar beings… That's right! The monster I fought earlier had a head of one of these beings. But the rest: these things have legs and no tail. What are they… They don't even have a face but they do have fangs and a trunk!_

 _Mere slave labor and lambs which could be sent to the slaughter. That's what you were… Your slave masters, the n'raqi, killed millions of your kind, merely for amusement. And with your Creator's blessing… I wonder what kind of a god he truly is…_

Sirexx would have wanted to cry out in fury at his tormentor's claims and tell it to stay out of his head. However, his mouth didn't obey his mind due to the forced visions that were drilled into his mind and they didn't leave him until his will to oppose the voice's will was exhausted. However, this time Sirexx didn't fall to the ground as he had before. The chaotic nature of this world or its master had a far different idea.

* * *

Heavy splash was heard as the qiraji fell beneath the surface of a river. In shock, Sirexx swallowed mouthful of the liquid which he regretted immediately. Its taste was ghastly but that was the least of the Unseen's worries. It caused him to vomit immediately, and made him feel like every one of his organs was going to explode. With a gigantic and extremely painful effort, Sirexx managed to swim to a shore, only to notice that the houses had disappeared and that the forest along with the river was again all he could see.

The qiraji was all but resigned to his fate at this point, willing to just stay where he lied and die. Whatever his guide's intentions, they most likely weren't beneficial for him.

 _This is not your end, qiraji. If I willed it, I would have killed you in Eldre'Thalas. You still may perish but if you are worthy, you will see your Kalimdor again._

Sirexx could hardly believe what he was hearing. There was no way the being could speak the truth. Not after all he had experienced…

 _Whether or not you comply is insignificant. You will be the only one who will be affected by your decisions._

Sirexx hated the fact that his guide had made him into nothing more than an easily manipuled pawn and he had seen enough horrors to give into despair. However, if there was any chance of returning home… He would have to take it.

 _Search out the giant rook. Fail and you will face an eternity of horror and regret… in the sunken city of Ny'alotha._

* * *

The trees were becoming even more frequent by the minute. Even in the case the rook was higher than mountains, there was no way to see it: the branches made it impossible to see forward. In addition, shadows under the trees were starting to have more threatening features. As if some of them had eyes or legs. Sirexx begun to move even faster. The rook and the moment of truth must have been coming closer…

No matter how badly Sirexx wanted to just run, he knew he it would be tufile. He wouldn't be able to get much further. From now on, he would have to fight his way through a horde of attackers. The first of them came forward from the shadows, revealing themselves. From waist up they seemed similar to the corpses he had seen in the sighing house but… these ones had a deer's body? They carried long spears and swords and their beastlike body gave them a great mobility.

Sirexx begun to back away slowly, willing to avoid as much fighting as he could. The new enemies studied Sirexx for a moment but begun their advance before long.

 _I have to move on quickly, I can't beat many of those animals. The rook hopefully isn't too far…_

Sirexx jumped in front of one of the chargers and at the last moment sidestepped and struck the attacker to the ground. A loud breaking voice was soon after heard from as its neck was crushed. Another one was already attacking however and Sirexx was forced to grab its sword with his remaining chela and break it. After beating the two, Sirexx started his sprint forward. He would be overwhelmed before long if he stayed to fight.

During the next half an hour, Sirexx was forced to dodge dozens of dryad attacks, each of them came from a different direction, making a quick advance difficult. However, the thought of dying here was a terrifying one. If nothing else, the brown Unseen wished to get to the bottom of tonight's disaster. If there was even a slightest of chances to return to his comrades, Sirexx would give his all to do that.

After a time which felt like years to the desperate qiraji, the forest suddenly gave way to what seemed like a huge pillar of rock, reaching up for the skies. Sirexx was hugely relieved by his discovery.

 _A tower it is. I was worried if I was searching for a bird or a cheater. Why use the word "rook" instead of "tower"?"_

The tower was extremely high, but not too wide. Its exterior was very plain but it was enough to carry an eerie feeling to Sirexx's mind. The twisted dryads were still running behind Sirexx when he entered the building. The door was massive and luckily open when the Unseen entered the building. He could close it in time to prevent his chasers from entering.

Sirexx took a deep breath and nearly collapsed when he realized he was safe. He had finally found the rook which was said to be the last stop of his journey. Whatever would come to pass was a matter left for that time. Sirexx had planned to rest for a moment when he noticed movement in the wide dark emptiness in front of him. The first thing he saw was a giant spear, followed by a giant …crab? holding it and then a large and nightmarish face stepped forwards from the darkness. It resembled an octopus and had four eyes and the skin looked like seaweed. It had a similar tail with the monster he had already faced but other than that, there was little similarity between his foes.

 _The fiend wishes to test me well… I've gone too far to be bested by this freak now!_

Sirexx had become tired with the challenges he didn't want to partake in the first place. His earlier fear had at least partially been replaced by rage he felt towards his his captor and at the whole place. The monsters still roused terror in the qiraji but the fact that he could fight them gave him courage. Had he been defenseless, he would have probably ended his own life in panic. Now, however, Sirexx's primary motivation was to escape and no octopus-headed sea snake was going to stop him.

The unknown enemy was the first to attack, summoning a huge flurry of frost and water raining from above. Sirexx tried to flee from it at first but the blizzard covered the whole room. It caused frostbites on Sirexx's not-chitin-armored parts and slowed his movement speed. The qiraji in retaliation sank a poisoned dagger in the creature's tail. The qiraji cursed as he noticed it had no effect on the creature meaning he would have to beat this fiend with power.

To the Unseen's amazement, the blizzard stopped after a while, greatly increasing his mobility back to normal and reducing the pain. The snake-like creature was surprisingly fast considering its great size and Sirexx had a hard time dodging its attacks. A thrust of the spear after another stroke the floor around Sirexx, breaking major parts of it. The enemy's brutal power would impale even a prophet without any hardship and an Unseen's body would easily be utterly crushed. Sirexx managed to inflict wounds on the monster's lower body but even the slowly-increasing blood loss didn't slow his enemy down. To make matters worse, the blizzard resumed once every minute.

 _Is this thing even mortal? It has bled enough to fill a pond! And I won't be able to continue dodging these attacks for eternity!_

Indeed, with every evaded hit Sirexx's dodges were becoming more last-minute and less energetic. His enemy, on the other hand, wasn't showing any marks of fatigue. The Unseen tried to come up with a sound strategy but creating it during a demanding fight was a hard job. The creature's thick skin and resiliency combined with its height made the battle seem a lost cause to any ordinary fighter. Sirexx was losing stamina faster than his enemy and any mortal blow was impossible to cause as the monster was at least as tall as Skeram and even its chest was too high for Sirexx to even try hitting it. Flight was not an option due to the dryads waiting outside and the high possibility of his captor finally intervening and eliminating his failed pawn.

Sirexx had considered the possibility of climbing up the octopus-headed-creature's back but the feeling of the slimy and slippery scales had ended those considerations. Moreover, the blizzards were taking their toll and Sirexx's frostbites were getting severe.

Suddenly, the creature's expression changed completely. Its four eyes fixated manically on Sirexx and it begun to reach out to him with a terrifying pace. Sirexx tried to hit its hands and roll to safety but nothing helped. The monster grabbed Sirexx's neck and raised the hapless qiraji against the wall. Then, with its another hand, the aberration took its spear and aimed it at Sirexx's heart.

 _It won't end like this! I'm not going to die to this monster!_

Obviously Sirexx was at verge of panic but he managed to retain control of his thoughts. First he tried to use the elements to his help but, not to the Unseen's surprise, they didn't answer. " _How could Kalimdor's elements answer here_ ", Sirexx thought morosely.

At least partially on instinct the qiraji managed to grab the monster's spear and thrust it to a wrong direction which for his luck happened to be the oppressor's hand. It let out a scream and released its grasp on Sirexx. The smaller combatant, however, wasn't done yet. He leaped toward the huge aberration and inflicted a long wound to its chest. What came next shocked Sirexx completely.

"Well done. You're ready to meet our master, qiraji." The monster's voice was cold and hideous but also oddly cordial.

"I'm not going anywhere until I've beaten you! You're gravely wounded!" Sirexx couldn't think rationally as the adrenaline of the battle was still strong.

"I've held back all this time. You did well to survive this far but I could have slain you easily. Thank your luck I wasn't fighting to the death." The answer was mostly a snort even if there was no poison in them. The creature knew who would walk out alive in case the two would fight to the death.

Sirexx didn't like his adversary's tone but he didn't have a real reason to continue the fight. However, there was something he did want.

"What are you? What is this place? Why are you testing me?" Sirexx questioned in a serious and aggressive tone demanding for answers.

"I have no authority to tell you. You'll meet the master soon and he tells everything you need to know."

Sirexx was far from satisfied but he knew he couldn't argue with the being. He simply gave an angry grunt and continued to the stairs on the other end of the room.

* * *

The tower was oddly empty, no living creature to be seen or any content worth mentioning. The stairs led upwards, through giant halls, narrow pathways and crumbling floors. The building's bad condition and emptiness left Sirexx wondering what the place had sometimes been. As if it wasn't meant lie in this nightmarish Black Forest…

After a long climb, the stair gave way to an open space which after a quick look was confirmed to be the peak of the tower. The first thing that caught his eye was a group of creatures assembled near the edges of the tower.

 _They're upper body is just like the first creature I fought but these guys have legs… What kind of mutations are happening here?_

Their heads' most recognizable feature was a huge trunk in the middle of their face, surrounded by a few smaller tentacles. They had no eyes, no nose or any other features of a normal face. It was almost as these creatures had no real face at all. Their hands were huge tentacles and they were covered with purple and slimy skin.

As Sirexx was observing the apparent guards, a new arrival came to the tower. With a flash of greenish light, the qiraji caught a glimpse of the newcomer. It was a giant rook, its black feathers almost blending with the forest's unnatural darkness. It settled in the middle of the tower's peak, its yellow eyes penetrating Sirexx's heart with their gaze.

 _Your quest is over, qiraji. You will leave the Black Forest forever, as this is a place unfit for a mortal._

The voice once again rang in the Unseen's mind but this time he knew the rook in front of him was the speaker. But now, with at least some kind of avatar standing in front of him, Sirexx nearly lost all courage to answer to the chilling yet trustworthy voice. When he finally found the words, his voice was meek and fearful.

"Tell me at last what this place is! I've asked it for more times I can count and I'm still left with no answers! And who are you?"

The rook cocked its head to the right, looking at the qiraji with unreadable expression on its face. It required the last remnants of Sirexx's courage not to flee in front of his captor's gaze.

 _This forest is a twisted version of an ancient woodland of Kalimdor, forever separated from your world by effect of the corruption of your Creator and the likes of him. In a way, it still shares the same space with the ancient land and this place has a direct connection to its counterpart. However, this place is banished to a world different than Kalimdor._

Sirexx wasn't sure if he understood what he was hearing or whether it even was the truth but he could only nod. There was no way he could force an answer out of his captor.

 _You're here because you had to learn the things you've seen. The aberrations you've met made an outsider's resolve manifest itself. This world is dead and forsaken but it has its uses… also apart from testing lowly creatures like you._

Sirexx could once more feel the agony in his head as it was filled with forced visions. This vision, however, was much clearer and complete than the previous ones.

 _There were dead or dying Aqir everywhere. They were either among the fighters who were fighting the endless battle as the Sun rose and set endlessly over the onslaught or being whipped to death by the n'raqi, as his captor had called them. Meanwhile, he could hear only manic laughter and appalling commands, spoken in the same voice he had heard many times. The Creator's voice. The enemies were confined from the vision and it told only the hellish reality of the ancient world. Constant bloodshed, endless slavery… all for naught._

Sirexx regained his senses quickly after the end of the vision. He was obviously exhausted by the many visions but he wished to confirm something.

"This is what you claim to be my Creator's world of the future, do you not? Why would I believe you over the being who made me and the teachings I've been taught is right all my life to be the truth?"

 _What you saw was the past, not the future. It has already happened. The Black Empire was the name of the madness you've witnessed. And for the reason I know this: I was there. I've seen that all with my own eyes._

Sirexx's eyes widened at the revelation. His captor was as ancient as his Creator? However, Sirexx couldn't say he was surprised. His captor had proved to be nearly almighty. And, In a way, it all made perfect sense.

"You were His enemy! That's why you brought me here! To involve me in your own civil war!"

The rook chuckled coldly. Its expression confirmed Sirexx's words but somehow the Unseen didn't find the development worrying.

 _Only one of them. Your Creator has few allies among his equals. However, everything you've seen is true. Can you truly deny it even to yourself? Are you and your "friends" are not the villains? Are you not creating a hell in Kalimdor?_

Sirexx was beginning to fear in his heart that the bird spoke the truth. But perhaps not all of it: it had not shown its alternative to the Creator's chaos. There was no guarantee his captor was any better. But he knew without a doubt that he wouldn't give up his life to make Kalimdor a living hell.

At the same time, the Unseen noticed a group of small and bluish odd-looking dragons gathering at the center of the room, spawning a circle of mushrooms, around which they begun to cast a spell. The dragons and the mushrooms seemed to appear from nowhere as if… they were sucked to this realm in the same way as Sirexx had been. Or rather… they seemed to waver only partially in this world.

 _Is this place connected to its counterpart in Kalimdor? Are those creature shifting worlds constantly? And what is this place's equivalent in my world? Whatever it is, I don't think I'd like to know what horrors the dragons are casting… or protecting…_

Sirexx ridded his attention of the small dragons and once again turned to face the rook.

"If what you say is true, the Creator indeed needs to be stopped. However, don't even think I'll serve you. I won't trade one villain for another. At least tell me your name!"

The rook's laugh intensified. This time it only sounded more like a mocking threat. Whatever its intentions, it didn't seem taken back by Sirexx's defiance.

 _You are but a pawn of forces unseen, insect. Willingly or unconsciously, it matters none. Denying a God is pointless. Many others stronger than you have tried but in the end they all saw the truth. And to answer your question, I do have a name. You may call me N'zoth._

And with the last sentence, the rook's form seemed to explode into thousands of mad shapes and unknown colors. Before Sirexx could make any sense of them, he once again felt the floor collapsing beneath him.


	18. The Shackled Demon

The Shackled Demon

Ra'jol had a hard time catching his breath. The insufferable group of elves were on his trail which wasn't long due to the limited size of the Athenaeum. He would have to be extremely careful and fast in order to avoid being spotted by his pursuers. Likewise, the gaps of the bookshelves could house elves anywhere as well as Ra'jol was concerned. His life was in the Creator's hands now. While running in full speed, he bowed and spread his chelae in front of him in order to plead for His help. The gesture was highly respecting, conceding and humbling at the same time. It was a prayer of sorts to a fearful and Creator-reverent qiraji.

 _Should You will it, I'll try and loose them in the next gap and climb back to the top. They've left them anyway. Hopefully Ke'nir and Danoxx are safe… I fear the worst about Sirexx. If only I knew what happened to him._

Ra'jol would have been puzzled and concerned of his comrade's fate had he not had the pursuers threatening his own life. The large Unseen dearly hoped there wouldn't be any elves left on the tops of the bookshelves.

* * *

Ulden was getting concerned with their chase. The attacker couldn't have gotten far but where was he? He and his comrades had seen nothing since the shadow's departure from the tops. They couldn't have lost him already. Just as he was starting to accept the fact that his target had escaped, he heard a faint creak of an ancient shelf.

 _Back to the top, eh? Well, you're not going anywhere!_

"He's trying to escape! Seal the exit from Athenaeum!"

Ra'jol cursed. The exit door was being fortified heavily, effectively blocking his escape path. Red herring tactics wouldn't work this time: the guards would most likely ignore any diversions he could possible use. He was immersed deep in thought when he noticed something lying in the gap below him. At first Ra'jol couldn't believe his eyes but after a moment he identified the form. It was Sirexx!

 _Why is he lying there? It seems my eyes deceived me when I saw him "disappearing"._

" _Sirexx! Get up! We have to escape now!"_

* * *

The brown qiraji blinked twice before he begun to wake up from his momentary shock. At first he felt the horror return to his consciousness as he feared he was still trapped in the unknown world. As his eyes begun to paint picture of his surroundings, Sirexx felt an overflowing relief. Even the sight of the enemy stronghold was welcome to his burdened mind.

Not long after, however, the memories of the horrifying hell begun to flow back to his mind. His heart begun to beat faster as he remembered each of the terrifying things he had been told. After that, a sensation that he hadn't even noticed before came to him. Pain. A huge pain caused by the numerous frostbites from his last enemy's attacks. Even then, all of these feelings were put aside by Ra'jol's welcome voice.

" _Ra'jol? Is that you?"_ Sirexx asked the question which was only logical question after his ordeals. Ra'jol however was taken aback by the question.

" _Who else? Sa'rol? Get up! We'll soon be caught!"_ Ra'jol's voice wasnervous and confused by Sirexx's comment.

Sirexx begun to get up. All of his limbs were frostbitten and he had numerous injuries but he still managed to rise up, albeit with great effort. As he begun to understand his situation more clearly, he realized he had no time to pay attention to his agony. He wasn't on safe ground yet.

* * *

Ra'jol gasped when he saw Sirexx climb to the top. It was a miracle he had even recognized his comrade! Sirexx was completely covered in black ooze, painting everything in the dark color. He was injured in many spots and clearly distressed. The larger qiraji would have wanted to ask the obvious questions but the advancing chasers meant that catching-ups would have to wait a moment. For now the most important thing was to get both of them to safety.

" _Sirexx, regardless of your condition, you must escape on your own. I cannot help you: neither of us can slow down"._

Sirexx nodded to his comrade. _"Of course you can't. I believe I can run but not for too long. In case the mission would happen to continue, however, I'm not sure if I'm ready for action."_

Ra'jol couldn't object to this. Sirexx's movement looked painful and he was obviously slower than usual. Judging by their look, Sirexx's frostbites had a slight chance of evolving into necrosis but given any luck, he would be fine. But for now, he would have to be kept out from harm's way.

* * *

Danoxx and Ke'nir had already left the Athenaeum as their hiding from the elves had become increasingly difficult. The High Ambusher had decided that even if there was a volume which explained the source of the power of the Shen'dralar, it was too dangerous to look for it. The dark courtyard was still easy enough to hide in but taking a hostage wouldn't be too easy. Especially since Sirexx and Ra'jol hadn't joined them yet. Outside the crowded library, communicating through the crystals was no longer necessary.

"There are few guards here and there. We'll act now, before any more of them get here." Danoxx announced to his comrade, confirming that their options were becoming scarce. Ke'nir simply nodded as ne knew Danoxx already had a plan ready.

"The thing is, none of them seems an easy pick. Who would you go for, Ke'nir?" Danoxx wanted his subordinate's opinion in case he missed anything important. Ke'nir was a former tracker after all.

Ke'nir looked at the elves and after a moment his eyes fixated on one female Highborne. "That one looks less vigilant than the others. Additionally, in her location columns block part of the light coming from the library and the arrival hall. "

Danoxx had also studied the hostage candidates. He had considered a paranoid-looking male but he was located too close to the Athenaeum.

"You may be right. That one looks like an easy one to surprise but it might be just a way to trick us. Might." Danoxx didn't believe it itself but an Unseen who underestimated an enemy didn't usually live too long. Danoxx didn't want to take unnecessary risks.

Taking hostages was such a common practice to even require a special plan. Unseen had their ways to survive everyday jobs.

* * *

Ra'jol and Sirexx had reached the doorway which led out from the library. The latter was weak but still managed to move quickly enough to escape the pursuers. Usually stealth was the main tool of an Unseen but in moments of hurry and danger a more direct route had to be taken. This time the utter annihilation of the guards blocking their path was the only way.

The two Unseen knew that escaping the building required exact coordination if they planned to take out the guards before they'd be seen. Whereas Sirexx tried to keep the pain at bay, Ra'jol was becoming increasingly worried about his comrade's health. Ra'jol disliked weaklings, true, but something highly unusual had happened to Sirexx. Even Ra'jol couldn't blame others for failings which weren't their doing.

" _Sirexx, take care of the two in the left and I'll try to take one on the right side hostage."_

" _I'll do that. But be sure to be quick with your capture. We have only few moments before they alert everyone."_

" _Don't worry about me, Sirexx. Just try to do your part."_

Even though it hit Sirexx's pride deeply to be deemed as a burden but he knew it couldn't be helped. The liquid that appeared to be "rain" in the Forest had colored him completely black and the dip in the river hadn't helped too much. The only exceptions in his coloring were the trickling wounds and the greenish hemolymph flowing from them. Additionally, Sirexx knew his movements were forced and slow. For today, he would be of no major help anymore. The brown qiraji resolved to simply stay away from his comrades' way.

The two Unseen sent a single vibration through their crystals, signaling that they were ready to attack. They jumped from the top of the bookshelf, both crushing one of their opponents with their mere weight. Sirexx simply snapped the other elf's neck but Ra'jol beat his second opponent with his chela hard enough for the elf to hit the wall and lose his consciousness. The two Unseen dragged the hapless Kaldorei to the courtyard…

…only to find a group of night elves that were seemingly waiting for them.

* * *

"Ra'jol and Sirexx need backup! Move!" Danoxx had seen the unfortunate development and knew the two needed urgent help. He and Ke'nir had managed to take the hostage they'd seen earlier already and they had just managed to tie and gag her up. She would have to wait for a moment.

Ke'nir took a look at the combatants. There were five night elves, two of whom seemed to be only casting arcane magic of different sorts. His comrades were able to dodge these spells but even one hit would cause a serious injury. What really caught his eye was Sirexx's condition.

 _What has happened? There's no way to end up in that condition in here… was that done by some spell?_

The night elves weren't careless enough not to suspect reinforcements and they saw the two Unseen attack them but only when it was close to being too late. Danoxx managed to take out one of the casters but the second one was able to stop the incoming assault. The elf had summoned some kind of burning armor around him which Danoxx was unable to break, at least instantly.

Ke'nir had went to aid his two comrades who were unable to make progress on their foes due to fierce resistance. Ke'nir's and death of one of their more skilled magisters forced the two Shen'dralar, who were forced to fight a melee battle despite their magical abilities, to withdraw away from the door. The way was now clear but the group Ra'jol had tried to avoid had now reached the last bookshelf.

* * *

"There they are! Charge!" Ulden was extremely pleased to finally find his targets, who were revealed to be of the hated qiraji race. Their appearance, even under their thick cloaks, roused deep disgust in Ulden. The huge antennae and apparent chelae mixed with their insectoid jaws were a horrifying sight for most other races but Ulden felt loathing more than anything else toward his adversaries.

* * *

All four of the qiraji knew what to do. As the elves were jumping from the bookshelf, all of the qiraji formed concentrations of air with their elemtal skills which they then exploded, sending the elves flying in different directions. Some of them hit their heads to the floor, causing severe injuries without a doubt. Others landed somehow safely but only a few seemed to receive mortal injuries. Danoxx emitted a pleased grunt and threw a huge smoke bomb to his feet. When the smoke finally cleared, the qiraji were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Ulden's world had been clouded for a moment by the hit he had received. He had been lucky as he had landed to his stretched arms and only after that he had hurt his head. As he looked around him, he saw a number of his companions rising up with varying success. Others did it without a problem, whereas others couldn't even rise to sit. There were some whose heads had been hit hard by the fall and would probably never stir again.

 _Not again! Found and lost every damn time! I'll kill the monsters myself!_

Ulden trembled in rage as he was about to run outside. He was stopped by a question from behind him.

"What happened? Did you see them?" The questioner was an elder Highborne, who carried certain concern on his face. With him arrived a group of twenty Shen'dralar who were alerted by the noise.

"We did! Apparently they can do magic also which led to this!" Ulden waved around him, highlighting the casualties. "They are qiraji, slightly longer but much more muscular than we are!"

The elder didn't question his inferior as the qiraji were easy to distinguish from any other race. "Have they escaped?"

"They managed to escape from us but I still bet my immortality that they're still inside our sanctum."

The older magi simply nodded, commanding his subordinates to follow Ulden. The qiraji would not escape.

* * *

"We are sorry to keep you waiting but we had urgent business to attend to." Danoxx spoke matter-of-factly, not truly sounding apologizing nor smug. The night elf didn't answer as the Shen'dralar had a carefully prepared and practiced story they would tell in case they were caught. Even then, she didn't even want to think what these monsters had in store for her if she wasn't convincing enough.

"We caught another hostage as well but we'll question you one at the time. We have simply one question: what is the source of your power?" Danoxx tried to sound neutral but his urgency to know the answer radiated from his voice.

The night elf was surprised by the question. Yet, she felt immense fear in case the Unseen saw through her bluff.

"I know you won't believe me but I know very little of our order! I could tell you about any kind of magic, history or nearly anything! But all the details about the Shen'dralar are secrets, reserved only for the Prince and few others!" Even if the she knew how to answer, the night elf's answer was almost panicked as she feared possible torture to death. Danoxx's inquisitive and threatening expression only made her feel worse about her situation.

"You think we'll believe that!? If you so much about the magic as you claimed, of course you must also know about its source! Tell the truth, now!" Ra'jol's highly displeased voice left little room for interpretation. Either she would tell the truth or something terrible would happen.

"I don't know! Magisters of old used the Well but the Prince simply gives us bottles like this one I have! We use this as "fuel" for our spells but only he knows where they're from!" The elf looked like she was pleading now. The bottle she offered contained mostly blue liquid, with certain amounts of green appearing once in a while. The bottle itself was quite generic night elf glasswork, white with decorations all around it.

Danoxx took the bottle, examining it closely. Only a prophet could analyze it properly but sadly none were available. The High Ambusher himself could only tell the liquid contained high amounts of arcane magic, mixed with some unknown force.

"Sources of arcane are rare these days. Surely some of your order has at least clues where your "Prince" gets these." The question was more of a statement as it was beyond Danoxx's comprehension to think that none of the order knew anything about it.

The elf gulped audibly. She had to tell the official story as telling even telltales about their source of power would be her end. Tortheldrin wouldn't let such a high treason go unpunished. On the other hand, she feared these brutes more than her own kind.

"Just promise to release me without me being seen. My life will be forfeit if they know who blabbered our secrets."

Danoxx looked at her with indifferent eyes. After a while he answered monotonously. "Only when we have completed the task we came for. No earlier."

The elf was dissatisfied with the answer but she knew that was the best deal she would get.

"Some of my colleagues have claimed that the Prince has sometimes gone to this very courtyard around the pillars at night to cast some spells beyond my skills. He has always tried to hide these trips to his best ability but sometimes someone sees his departure. No one knows what he has been up to and any questioners would need medical help for weeks. All of us can feel the power of that place but we are not permitted to ask anything. Aside from that, he has led us wisely and justly and we have let him keep his secret."

Danoxx had always thought that magi would have an unsatisfied thirst for knowledge but these weaklings didn't even bother to care about the foundations their order was built on.

"What is special about the pillars?" Danoxx asked the question with indifferently as the elves' lack of interest in their own organization or fear to look for it concerned him greatly. Either their hostage was the greatest liar he'd ever met or the Prince ruled his people with widespread terror.

"It is told that it was a place where the powers of the Well of Eternity could be felt stronger than anywhere else in Feralas. It is a memory from a time long gone. Other than that, I have no idea what it is." In fact she knew well but her story had a secondary objective, in addition to saving the captive's life. It was to set up an ambush.

Danoxx couldn't say he was satisfied but he let the elf be for a moment.

"Very well. We'll question your colleague about these same things. Should your answers be similar, you may be at peace. But remember, if you've been lying to us this whole time… that the next time I'll ask won't be pleasant."

With that, Danoxx turned his back on the elf and headed for the other hostage. He was held far enough so that he had no chance to hear the recent conversation. Danoxx dearly hoped both of them would tell the truth. The quartet had no time for extended questioning and sadism was something Danoxx really wanted to avoid.

* * *

"The answers seem honest and compatible with each other. I'd be willing to believe them." Ke'nir sounded confident but unhappy about the stories. Even if they were true, the stories would leave the Unseen a lot of investigation to do.

"A vile cabal like this is likely to have their lies ready for a possible kidnapping. The pillars are there only to distract us from our goal." Ra'jol shrugged loathing.

"In that case we have little chance to get anything of value out of them. Of course we could break their bones one by one but they might be trained to ignore pain. There's also a distinct chance they speak the truth. Our prisoners aren't going anywhere so in case you're right Ra'jol, they will pay. Let's take a look at the pillars, we haven't got other clues anyway." Danoxx said resolutely.

* * *

The pillars formed a perfect circle in the middle of the wide courtyard. They were connected by a stone ring that laid upon them. Something inside the structure radiated its moonlight-colored light into the darkness of the night. The pillars were ivory white and created a stark contrast against the decaying walls. The room inside the circle, however, was unremarkable. It contained nothing and it seemed like a complete waste of space.

"This place seems like it is of great interest to the elves but why is there nothing here?" Ke'nir frowned to the seemingly useless structure.

"This place contains something powerful but it is darn well hidden from naked eye." Danoxx had seen enough places of power to recognize one. The Shen'dralar must have noticed it too but why are they doing nothing about it?

"Well, this "Prince" must have a way to communion with the source of the power." Sirexx offered hesitantly. He knew that they wouldn't be able to assault the Athenaeum again.

"Even if we could get to his residence, I truly doubt if we could beat him. He is an extremely old and without a doubt powerful wizard." Danoxx sounded resigned to the possibility.

"But there must be some way to do this! We can't return empty handed just because we couldn't beat their leader!" Ra'jol said.

Danoxx took a few steps forward, inspecting the area. Even if he was by no means a mage or expert in magic, he knew that the magi were able to turn things invisible. Danoxx knew that portals between worlds were possible but he found that that would be a far-fetched idea so he let that possibility be for now. The main question now was to find a way to turn invisible into visible.

Was it possible to interact with an invisible object or did the spell also make it immaterial? Was their target a living being or an object? Was he even correct in his assumption? Many questions poured to the High Ambusher's head as he tried to find a way to locate the source of the power. The search was once again on but in an open pitch-black area the qiraji held the advantage. But the night wouldn't last forever.

Danoxx could feel the elements resonate in certain places in response to his sounding. It was as if a huge creature was present. Danoxx was able to figure out what that meant: his target was invisible. The squad leader told his findings through their crystals.

" _I have no idea how to proceed but attacking it can't be a bad idea. We have to destroy it after all."_

The others had no reason to object and they had located some of the parts of the invisible entity. They took some of the larger knives and struck them into what they assumed were the creature's legs. They felt a violent jolt of pain emanating from the creature but to their surprise it didn't emit any kind of voice. In addition, tiny pieces of black, foul-looking skin was revealed. In the middle of the displeasing job, Sirexx took a quick look at his surroundings.

The night was slowly turning into a dawn with the night sky slowly taking a lighter color. The air was the coolest it would get and the smell of the forest was relaxing to Sirexx's stressed senses. Occasional moths were flying towards the shining entrance of the hallway out of the Shen'dralar sanctum. The torches on each side of the door made it look like a beacon of gold in the darkness. Like a sweet reward from the terrors of this night. But only once the work would be done…

After a series of attacks the creature begun to bleed noticeably and its legs were completely visible. They were like black trunks which radiated evil, corrupting energy. Sirexx was left out of this part as his injuries would endanger his life if things went wrong, which wasn't far-fetched. Danoxx had forgotten in his exhilaration that the source of the cabal's power would likely be well protected.

* * *

"Immol'thar is being attacked!" Ulden's command was clear and simple as that announcement was the most serious call to arms to the Shen'dralar. Even a novice knew what to do. The demon would last for a good while so the elves would have time to prepare for a counterattack. Such a crime would not go unpunished. Only a few had ever gotten so far that they'd seen the demon but no one had ever managed to escape from the Shen'dralar's fury.

All of the Kaldorei were able to move undetected for a long time as part of their heritage. Even the Shen'dralar hadn't forgotten the importance of being able to choose your position in the coming battle, if at all possible. The elves slowly crouched to a circle around the courtyard, their natural abilities and the thick vegetation on the corners of the courtyard hiding them from sight.

* * *

" _Halt_!" Danoxx's voice rang in his subordinates' ears. Apparently their leader had noticed something they hadn't.

" _It will take hours to kill this creature! It wouldn't matter otherwise but have you noticed that it's gotten completely silent?"_ The others' expressions turned into ones of fear and embarrassment at their lack of vigilance.

" _Let's back down slowly to avoid the risk of being ambushed. In the meantime, I'll summon reinforcements…"_ The silithid would, with any luck, be able to overwhelm the elves and give the qiraji time to deal with the demon. Danoxx begun to channel his vibrations to the bell-like trinket that was in hanging from his orange hood.

* * *

Ulden frowned at the sight of his prey trying to escape from their grasp. There was no reason to wait for any longer. He saw one of the higher-ranking magi give an order to begin their advance. The four qiraji wouldn't stand a chance in the face of the coming onslaught.

After tightening the circle by around a third, their advance was stopped due to an increasingly heavy shaking of the ground. The Highborne gave some concerned looks at each other before the ground broke beneath them. Four of the Shen'dralar stood in the epicenter of the beginning invasion and were succumbed immediately.

Ulden's face was frozen in horror as he saw the image of a giant beetle-like creature crushing his comrades beneath its feet. The ranks of the Shen'dralar collapsed around the monstrosity. In the chaos, no one noticed another elf arriving from the Athenaeum. Unlike his subordinates, the newcomer wore green-golden armor and his golden eyes filled everyone who looked into them with humility and respect. It was clear that he was a being of huge wisdom and power.

"Regroup you morons! It's just an insect! Or are you saying that the last remnants of the fabled Highborne are no match to a brainless animal?!" The Prince Tortheldrin himself had arrived to take a look at the unfolding events. He very rarely took part in fights but tonight would be an exception. Immol'thar had to be protected at all times and these new enemies had gotten closer to their source of power than any other enemy before.

To stop his followers' escape, he cast a huge barrage of arcane towards the huge monstrosity's head. His eyes of bright yellow flickered with each blast of magic that hit the insect's head. His wrinkled lips bent into a mean smile as the monstrous beetle begun to lose its balance. No creature could last long before a Highborne who had so long ago served queen Azshara herself and walked the streets of the fabled Zin-Azshari. The silithid colossus begun to shudder in utmost agony and begun its last charge into a concentration of elves. Many managed to flee the fearsome charge but some more were crushed under the rushing giant. After it had reached its last limit, the hapless insect emitted a screeching squeak and fell where it stood and stirred no more.

"That's all that there is to these animals! You can and you will destroy all intruders! Your Prince is watching you!" Tortheldrin's declaration sounded more like a piece of preach: it almost had a melody in it and the fanatical devoutness in it was almost frightening. No elf would hold back now: the Prince gave great rewards and made sure that the weakest link would bother the brotherhood no longer.

* * *

Danoxx stared the scene in utter shock. He had never before seen a silithid colossus fall in battle. Not only that, but the Prince had killed it with one spell! The smaller silithid who had followed the colossus weren't doing any better: magical explosions were everywhere and they reaped the insects like they were mere weeds. Even against his better judgement, he could only stare at the unfolding slaughter in shock. Whatever happened, he and his companions would never have the time to kill the demon. Their cause was utterly lost.

" _Fall back! Get to the hallway! We must vanish before the last silithid falls!"_ Danoxx's voice carried a distinct sense of horror and with a nuance of sadness by his failure. His comrades, however, were alarmed by the High Ambusher's command.

" _Retreat? But…"_

" _We can't! The Creat…"_

" _But Danoxx…"_

All of the three begun to blabber, each of their comments intervening and becoming unintelligible racketing. Danoxx put an end to that.

" _Silence! We have no choice! Now, go!"_

Each of the three Unseen had their misgivings about the order but Danoxx's voice and expression left no room for argument. In addition, they could see that the last of the silithid were getting slaughtered. The sun was beginning to cast its light over the walls of the courtyard, signaling the end of the night and their cover of darkness. The squad would have to deal with the consequences of their defeat later.

The silithid had diverted all of the elves' attention so disappearing from the courtyard wasn't much of a challenge. The doorless hallway hovered in front of the Unseen like a gate to salvation. There was only a small number of elves stationed in the entrance hall as most had been alerted by the battle in the courtyard. They tried to frantically cast magical missiles at the escaping enemy but the Unseen's quick movements and dodges prevented any direct hits.

The hallway which led out of the Shen'dralar quarters opened in front of the Unseen. Its sight was a mixed blessing: on one hand it signaled salvation on the other hand defeat. Sirexx gritted his jaws as he reflected on their future homecoming and the ongoing pain from his frostbites. He wouldn't be able to run for much longer but he'd make it out alive. Of that he was certain.

The sensory spells rang out in alarm as they were bypassed by the escaping group. The elves on the courtyard didn't truly mind it as their defenses had succeeded in thwarting their plans. Immol'thar was safe and the enemy gone. Killing them was never their priority.

Danoxx, on the other hand, bore feelings of worry and shame. Shame because the mission was a total failure and would probably weaken his position among the High Ambushers. But he couldn't help but be worried of the Shen'dralar's performance. A colossus and an army of silithid were dead in mere moments. Should the elf army in the south possess similar strength, the war had just became far more dangerous.


	19. Frontlines and Punishments

Frontlines and Punishments

The first thing that greeted Sirexx in the noon was fear. It was only due to his extreme fatigue that he had even managed to sleep at all but that blessing had to eventually give way to the waking world which filled Sirexx with horror. The day was already beginning to move towards its end as the Unseen begun to wake up. The night of fighting had taken its toll and all of the four had agreed to sleep once they had reached a somewhat safe spot among the trees of Feralas.

 _Did it really happen? Did I truly walk in some other world? That's impossible but yet…_

As Sirexx looked at himself, he couldn't deny his injuries' source. There was no other place he could have possibly gotten all these frostbites and black tar-like stains. But it was impossible: certainly no creature on this "N'zoth's" level would bother with him? In addition, he had never heard of a similar situation before. His comrades hadn't yet asked where he went and what would he tell them? "Yeah, I just happened to warp into a different dimension where I learned everything about our race and met a god?"

Sirexx grinned at his self-sarcasm. He wouldn't believe it himself and he wasn't certain if he did even now. The Unseen hadn't even wanted to think about the things he had learned as he didn't want to be charged with some anti-Creator uprising based on the twaddlings of some unknown creature.

 _And no way I'd even want to do that. There is no evidence whatsoever that N'zoth spoke the truth. If his prophecies come to pass… well, I'll think of it then._

"Sirexx? You seem to be lost in thought." Ke'nir had awakened some time ago and noticed that Sirexx was sitting and definitely in a world of his own.

"Yes, Ke'nir… It's about yesterday's events. I'll tell you once everyone is awake what I went through."

Ke'nir nodded slightly. He only now noticed his friend's condition properly as the darkness had hidden the sight of his wounds. Yet, nothing could have prepared him for the coming story…

* * *

"What the hell was that? Are you begging for a blasphemy charge?" Ra'jol's voice carried more shock than anger but he was deeply upset by Sirexx's story.

"I swear every word is true. I cannot ask you to believe me, I wouldn't believe it either but… I was there. I saw it all." Sirexx's expression was tired but understanding about the questions he was presented.

"Even then, N'zoth's claims are outrageous. Do you believe them yourself?" This time the speaker was Danoxx and his expression carried no imminent agitation. He hated making rash decisions and wanted to hear everything Sirexx had to say.

"Something about his voice carried a trustworthy, knowing tone but intellectually I cannot tolerate everything he said. It's just too much." Sirexx seemed to ponder at the question as he spoke and his voice wavered heavily.

"That's incredible! You don't believe every monstrous claim you're told! How damn shocking!" Ra'jol's voice dipped with poison and anger. Danoxx and Ke'nir scowled him silent quickly.

"He claimed that he's one of the Creator's "many enemies among His equals." Does that mean there are others like Him?" asked Ke'nir.

"I… I wouldn't want to answer that. N'zoth's power was godlike but that he would be like the Creator is just too much to chew on." The brown Unseen's gaze wandered among his comrades, communicating deep confusion.

"Then we can agree that N'zoth's only a villain which we just have to fight against or simply ignore?" Ra'jol wanted to end the conversation quickly and made his point of view known.

"We cannot, Ra'jol. If beings of their power are waging a war behind the scenes, we cannot simply ignore it. If we're too small to take part in it, we'll simply have to try to protect ourselves away it. In my opinion, we should just try to keep ourselves and our people safe."

Ra'jol's rage was about to burst when a sudden gesture from Danoxx stopped him.

"All of this information comes from you, Sirexx. I trust you and your judgement fully, but implications from this are too many to even begin to comprehend. As the only witness of these events, what do you think we should do?"

Sirexx took a look at Danoxx after which his gaze wandered from the trees to a stream nearby. He hadn't managed to even gather his own thoughts and now his leader asked for his advice? The brown qiraji needed a moment to reflect on his thoughts before he answered.

"What we mustn't do is to make rash decisions. I think some of the things N'zoth told are true but he is also a villain we must resist at all costs. You all know what he told about the Creator's claimed ancient reign and that is what we should focus on, that's my opinion anyway." Sirexx added the last sentence to signal that he was as confused as his comrades. "We should look for that kind of signs in the coming weeks. If this "Black Empire" seems to be rising again, then I suggest we should discuss things again."

"You simply aren't serious! Even considering an option of uprising is treason!" Ra'jol seemed to be having a hard time keeping himself from attacking Sirexx.

"What other choice do we have? I spoke only of the most unfortunate and evil of scenarios! Even I don't believe them and I simply spoke of observing ongoing developments!" Sirexx's voice was pleading as he didn't want to stand by his own words.

"To stop questioning those who are better than us! It is not our place to decide what's good or wrong! We aren't good enough for that! Only the Creator and his highest servants are fit for that." Ra'jol's voice begun to calm down but now the anger was replaced by deep frustration and will to end the argument.

"That may be but what are we then? Mere children who need full-time guidance?"

Ra'jol could stand no more of Sirexx's heresy. He rose up and begun a quick advance on Sirexx. He had a clear expression on his face. A look of one deeply shocked but confident of his cause. Sirexx rose up as well and was about to say something when their leader decided to intervene.

Danoxx had been staring at the argument with motionless and expressionless eyes. He decided that now would be a correct time to intervene.

"That is enough! Poisoning our squad's atmosphere won't do any good for any of us! My judgement is that we may reflect on Sirexx's story on the upcoming events but any criticism towards our superiors is strictly forbidden. This squad stays completely loyal to the imperial and divine rule!"

Sirexx gasped at his leader's announcement but he couldn't question the High Ambusher's way of thinking. It seemed Danoxx didn't understand the true threat Sirexx had seen but how could he? In the worst-case scenario, should the new Black Empire be forming, Danoxx will certainly see the truth.

 _I'm more worried about Ra'jol. He isn't stupid but his faith is too strong. I can only hope he changes his mind before it's too late… Ke'nir hasn't shown his cards yet but he seems to believe me._

Sirexx truly hoped he wouldn't have to think about these things but N'zoth's visions had disturbed him deeply. Hopefully none of them would happen again…

"The second matter we have in our hands is our mission which is a total failure. We can never kill the demon and now that the elves know what we want, we may as well head back home." Danoxx shook his head in resignation but he seemed to accept the harsh reality.

As much as the three listeners would have wanted to propose something ingenious, they knew it was best to stay silent. Even if this closure to their mission saddened all of the three Unseen, no one wanted to disturb Danoxx. He, as the leader, would carry most of the responsibility. All of the four had had failures before but they feared during in wartime the punishments would be more severe.

"We must simply hope that they will be understanding. We learned a great deal about the elves and we have one bottle of their energy. Let's hope that'll mitigate their rage." Ke'nir's voice was overshadowed by a gust of wind.

"That's true. If the prophets find a way to counter that kind of magic, our mission wasn't a complete disaster after all." Sirexx tried to smile but it looked far from natural.

Danoxx simply sighed. His subordinates' hopes were most likely misplaced but he would let them keep their wishful thinking. It wouldn't do any harm, he supposed.

* * *

 _Five days later, in a qiraji camp on the southwestern side of Nefil'Zarek, the Northern Guardian._

"Danoxx. I suppose you must know that we don't give you missions, especially in war, so that you may run back here head over heels." Sa'rol's voice was cold and his expression imposing.

"I guarantee to you, there was nothing we could have done. If they destroyed a colossus…"

"Indeed! You wasted a colossus for nothing! Do you think we have an oversupply of them? Our original strategy is in ruins, our forces depleted, and you let one of our most valuable servants to die in vain!"

Danoxx wasn't sure how the war had gone in their absence but apparently not too well. He would have some catching up to do later. For now, he was getting quite displeased with Sa'rol's exorbitant attitude. However, raging at a superior after a failed mission wasn't the best way to help one's career.

"I apologize for my failures, prophet. I did as I saw best and I take full responsibility of my decisions. Should you see fit to demote or kill me, I'll accept your decision." Danoxx fell to his knees in front of his superior, the gesture not really changing the nature of the meeting. It simply implied complete condescension and honesty in front of someone higher-ranked than the repenting one.

"This mission is a huge setback to you and your name, make no mistake about that, Danoxx. However, you still are one of our best High Ambushers and even if I wanted to, I couldn't afford to execute you. Your punishment is thirty sessions of running the gauntlet and a week's fast for you, half of these amounts for your subordinates. The first one begins immediately! Take him out of my sight!" Sa'rol said the last sentence with such loathing that it stunned even Danoxx. The punishment itself also sickened the High Ambusher highly but he supposed he would manage. Running the gauntlet was a method of qiraji torture: the culprit was forced to run down a short path, with gladiators beating him with huge canes, clubs and spears. The torturers knew how to cause maximum suffering without doing any permanent damage. They were highly feared throughout the qiraji society. The punishments were grim but they were executed in secrecy in order not to blackmail the victim and weaken the common morale.

This time, however, the punishment was more severe than usual. Usually running the gauntlet was done only a few times for a crime and fast was a very unusual punishment. Whether it was due to the war, Danoxx didn't know nor did he really care. What mattered most was to get over this unfortunate failure. No matter what would happen in the coming week.

* * *

Ke'nir was standing on the western edge of the qiraji camp, watching at something which worried him greatly. The weather was still clear but a more severe wind was starting to rise, filling the air with sand. Through the dimming light, he could see that on the other side of the Nefil'Zarek stood a full-fledged Night Elf village. It was more than a camp, with tents replaced with houses and walls being built around it.

 _What has happened? When we left, we were winning… at least it seemed so. What went wrong?_

"Horrible to see that in Silithus, isn't it?"

Ke'nir was startled by the unexpected arrival and turned to see the face whose voice he'd recognize anywhere.

"Alt'hesh! I'm pleased to see you're alive! But… what happened?" Ke'nir and Alt'hesh had known each other for years and even though he and the late Idh'lash's former leader were on different squads, they liked to meet and chat whenever they could.

"I'm sorry to hear what happened in Eldre'Thalas, but our luck here hasn't been exactly better. The campaign in Un'goro was something I want to never repeat!" Distinct expressions of happiness and horror could be seen in Alt'hesh's blue eyes.

"Our strategy was based on attrition and raids on their camps. After the relative "successes" in Tanaris, Pax'lish thought his strategy would work. What happened was a complete opposite. The elves knew of our every move, there was always a small army waiting for groups of twenty! An all-out-attack was out of the question in that jungle and even the animals themselves seemed to offer themselves as food for the elves! So much for attrition!" Alt'hesh's voice rose as he spoke. Ke'nir decided to simply listen as there was nothing he could say to the High Ambusher.

"Everything happened because of their Archdruid! The prophets thought it would be impossible to bypass their control of the earth but not to him! He stole our advantage and ruined our strategy! However, such a feat wasn't lost to us and even if he's an enemy, we gave him a title to honor a worthy opponent. The title was Khar'sis."

Khar'sis meant "The Hand of Earth" in Qiraji language, an apparent reference to the druid's ability to commune with something what was thought to be qiraji earth. It was extremely rare for the qiraji to be impressed enough by an enemy to give him an honoring qiraji title. Ke'nir supposed his feats were almost legendary-like but he stayed silent.

"Pax'lish was too proud to admit he was wrong and change the strategy. No, he decided to continue the attacks. We lost over twenty percent of the remaining Unseen and hundred gladiators! All because of Pax'lish's pride!" Alt'hesh's eyes burned with rage and melancholy.

"Our mission on the other hand was simply too much of an undertaking. I doubt we ever had much of a chance to successfully complete it, the Shen'dralar were simply too strong. I cannot blame our superiors, though, as none of us could have known about the order's true strength. Also, Sirexx got hurt before the mission reached its end and was unable to help in the battle. I wonder what'll be the punishment for this failure."

Alt'hesh didn't really want to think about it. He had had his failures and he dearly hoped he wouldn't have to suffer any more punishments. Beatings, running the gauntlet, forced mental torment… even the mere thought of them made Alt'hesh shudder. He hoped Ke'nir and his squad wouldn't have to suffer too much.

"What happened to Sirexx? Our Me'lesh sessions haven't been the same without him." Alt'hesh and Sirexx knew each other exclusively due to the game, unlike Ke'nir who had been his friend for years, even if a distant one.

"You wouldn't believe even if I told you." Ke'nir tried to make his voice sound like resolute but failed miserable. Alt'hesh knew Ke'nir was hiding something important.

"What is it, Ke'nir? I wonder what could possibly be too much for me to believe…"

Ke'nir didn't like the situation one bit but something in the way Sirexx had acted during his tale made Ke'nir believe his story.

"Very well. The events begun during our mission in Eldre'thalas five days ago…"

* * *

The pain of countless hits of spears and clubs to one's body is hard to handle for anyone and it wasn't any easier for Sirexx. The punishment was being held about a kilometer from the camp in order to save Sirexx's face from public shame. This was done to uphold the morale and cooperation of the army. The brown qiraji had a frantic, almost manic, look on his face when he charged forward. The end of the gauntlet opened before him, only a few gladiators left stood between him and the end.

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two…

 _I'm almost there! Just a few more steps…_

Sirexx's hopeful thoughts were interrupted by a huge hit with a club to his head. He almost fell but managed to stumble to the end of the gauntlet. His senses were numbed by the merciless hit. A gladiator captain came to him, taking a most uncompassionate expression imaginable.

"Pull yourself together, creeper scum! It's completely your own fault that you're here. Fourteen more runs and you're through! The next one's in the evening. Get out of my sight!" The gladiator seemed ready to force the Unseen leave if he didn't but Sirexx managed to leave on his own.

 _Damn… that was grim. I hardly can wait for the evening. What's left of my head when this will be over? Heh, probably not much. But who am I to complain? Poor Danoxx has to suffer twice as much as we…_

The hemolymph dripping from many of his wounds made the qiraji feel even worse on the trek back to the camp but he knew better than to stay in the desert to burn. With three sessions a day he'd be done in four more days, excluding this one.

* * *

"The qiraji are in check, father. To our knowledge, the frontline is secure now." Valstann Staghelm radiated confidence as he reported the news to his father.

"Yes… but they aren't beaten yet." Fandral was in a half-meditating state as he spoke, trying to feel the natural forces of Silithus.

"Perhaps, but that is only one coup de grace away. The war has been only a victory after victory for us. Southwind village is a testament to that." Southwind village was the name of the elven village that they had planned to be their base of operations in Silithus. Perhaps, after a decisive qiraji defeat, Vordanaar would even want to colonize Silithus?

"The village is a testament to our strategy. We _might_ be able to beat them now but it is better and safer to press on with our current advantage, slowly overpowering the enemy's war machine. That will save us many lives of our soldiers."

Valstann's idea differed from his father's.

"But doesn't that give them time to regroup and come up with new weapons against us? Since when has a prolonged warfare been preferable to a swift solution?" Valstann's voice was genuinely intrigued but still highly questioning.

"Since we haven't been able to learn all of their secrets. I may have been able to overpower their magic until now but they might have these "new weapons" already, waiting for us to run into their trap! Please leave me now, I'm trying to learn if there's anything valuable nature would like to tell me about."

Valstann didn't question his father and left him to meditate in silence. He shrugged at his father's wariness but knew better than to doubt his judgement.

The relatively young night elf took great pleasure in overseeing the construction of the village. He and the other high command lived in the large house on the top of the hill on the southern side of the village. It was built like any other Kaldorei government building. Judging by its architecture, Southwind village could very well be from Hyjal of Moonglade but the surrounding desert spoiled the impression of home for the elves.

Valstann took a look at the mountain to the right from the village. He could remember the qiraji speaking about it being the last major landmark before Ahn'Qiraj itself. The Qiraji Empire had been utterly shattered and the qiraji pushed to their final heartland. Valstann's mouth turned into a grin as he reflected on the situation. Soon the damned qiraji, whose camp he clearly saw a few kilometers away, would be made extinct and they would move into dark legends and before long, into total nothingness.


	20. The One Unanswered Question

The One Unanswered Question

The night was uncommonly calm in Silithus. It was quite possible that not even one grain of sand rolled in the complete calmness. The utter silence was reinforced by the fact that the wildlife was nearly non-existent in the hostile and burned soil of the desert. However, the total tranquility of the desert wasn't matched by one of its denizens.

"Oh, damn… five runs left and I'm already dead!" Sirexx felt like he had been levelled by a silithid colossus while being a target for spear-throwing practice. Likewise, the fast beginning to take its toll, even if it would end today at midnight. He had seen similar sentiments among his comrades, especially Danoxx, but all of them put brave faces to hide their condition.

 _This is much harsher than before, then we'd have some three runs at best… Well, we are at war now. I should not make any hasty speculations. If Danoxx can take this, so can I._

Another thing that had caught Sirexx's attention was the situation on the frontline. Nothing of interest had happened in the past three days. The elves hadn't mounted any remarkable offensives and the qiraji hadn't done anything really.

 _There must be something going on that I don't know of, there's no other possibility. Maybe a surprise attack, new weapon or a catastrophic sandstorm? There's no need for me to speculate, if even Alt'hesh knew nothing…_

The High Ambusher had met Sirexx two days prior, clearly heartened at seeing him alive but also deeply concerned about something. Sirexx, however, was more moody as he couldn't help but think of Idh'lash each time he saw his friend's former squad leader. After the greetings, he had dug deeply into Sirexx's memories of the Black Forest, becoming increasinly stunned by what he was hearing. He showed much greater interest in his story than anyone else, save perhaps for Ke'nir. What Sirexx remembered most were Alt'hesh's parting words.

" _Sirexx, there are some people here who wish to drag our people on a dark path. Your story fits into the large picture frighteningly well. Be vigilant and tell no one else of the Forest. Doing so might increase their power, perhaps for good. Let's stay in contact."_

 _Sirexx tried to ask what he meant but he simply waved that the conversation was over. Alt'hesh seemed almost frightened and wished to be as swift as possible._

Despite the High Ambusher's secretiveness, Sirexx had enough clues to realize where Alt'hesh was getting at. His own kidnapping and nightmares pointed clearly to a certain direction. He didn't know everything that had happened during his absence but it clearly troubled Alt'hesh. What he did know was that he didn't want have any part in the suspected dystopian future of Ahn'Qiraj. He had never asked for it and no one had the right to make him a part of it.

But, in a way, he already was. What else would one caught by an enemy god and a friend of a potential conspirator be? Should he try to confess to a prophet, he would probably be executed at the spot.

 _That's not important know. Danger is a momentary condition. Each moment that arrives is a time to consider the way to proceed while avoiding possible danger. If I can do that, there's nothing to fear. At least for now, there's nothing I should worry about._

With thoughts like these, Sirexx headed for his tent in order to escape the still ongoing pain into the world of dreams.

* * *

Little did any of the qiraji know that the sleep was where they were most vulnerable. Thoughts, more silent and meek than whispers, were on the move in the moonless desert as they had every night in the past nights. They were not even meant to be heard but merely sensed. Like a formless shadow, they crept into each building, each tent and spread its dark messages among the qiraji. Just enough to raise suspicion among the listeners…

 _Traitors are among us… All is lost… We must give all for our cause… We must work as one… We must be one…_

These thoughts lingered for a short while until they departed with the doors of the tents flying slightly. After the display, the night returned to its total tranquility. The ethereal visit wouldn't be remembered by anyone in the morning.

* * *

In the immeasurable amount of years since the birth of the qiraji, each corner of Silithus had become a home for numerous tales of old qiraji legends. They ranged from places concerning the steps of the Creator, many miracles done by His followers and legendary battles of the past. Though they were less than dirt compared to the Great Temple, the qiraji had built shrines or temples to commemorate the great deeds of the Times of Old Birth.

Nefil'Zarek was one such place. Not long since the building of Ahn'Qiraj, the soon-to-crumble Gurubashi Empire had tried to end the fledging kingdom. They outnumbered the defenders greatly and ferocity of the trolls was outmatched by no one, save perhaps for the quilboar. The following battle was forever written in letters of gold to the qiraji history.

The nostalgic and revered part of the story was the Creator's precious blessing of the qiraji. Although the exact nature of the power wasn't described, He had the qiraji His power before he fell to slumber in the heart of Ahn'Qiraj. Their strength increased two-fold and the prophets' spells became unstoppable. The memory of this blessing was that the Creator is always on the righteous side.

The other component of the victory was the defenders' unity and courage. According to the story, each and every qiraji had given up their identity and their mind for the common cause. They fought as one person, as one great force of just retribution. They knew no pain, no agony at the loss of their comrades. Just complete resignation to the Creator's service.

The greatly disadvantaged qiraji regrouped their forces around Nefil'Zarek to make their stand. Unaware of any anomalies, the trolls begun the advance with great overconfidence about their strength and the battleground. The shadow of the mountain saved the trolls from being disadvantaged despite their weaker tolerance of heat. The defenders in turn waited confidently as the troll horde approached. Only when the enemy was only a few hundred meters away, the qiraji army begun to march, every soldier moving in perfect rhythm. At this point the trolls noticed nothing wrong even if their opponents' movements were nearly robot-like.

As the few hundred qiraji marched, they increasingly begun to glow amber-colored energy around them. This begun to concern the trolls noticeably but their charge continued despite the odd phenomenon. Skeram and the few other prophets strengthened the blessing even more, making the army glow like a second sun.

The two armies clashed in the great mountain's shadow, an "army" of 250 qiraji against a horde of 5000 trolls. However, in the mind of every qiraji radiated one bellowing thought which radiated from outside of their heads.

 _They have already lost. Drive the unbelievers to their graves…_

No matter how hardly the trolls tried to mutilate or wound the qiraji, they received only minor wounds. As if they were made of steel. They had a static, maniac-like stare in their eyes and their weapons reaped in complete harmony. There were no individual fighters, there was simply one army, one entity. This determination unnerved the trolls and their casualties begun to rise at an alarming rate. The qiraji had lost only a few fighters against hundreds of troll casualties. The troll emperor, whose name has been lost to history, knew that against this foe there was no victory.

* * *

"The newly-forming Kingdom of Ahn'Qiraj was safe. Our ancestors knew they had the Creator's favor and their enemies crumbled beneath their unity. That is what I wanted to remind you of: no matter what happens to you in the coming battles, the tales of your achievements will turn to legend." The General Rajaxx spoke in an inspiring voice and his expression spoke of deep reverence to the events he had told of. All of the qiraji knew of them of course but to see the temple dedicated to the War of Inception, as it was called by the qiraji, was a humbling experience.

The temple complex was massive. The entrance was hidden beneath a sand dune so an outsider would never find it and neither would all but very few of the qiraji. These places of reverence were constructed to _remind_ of their historical value at right times, not to become destinations of pilgrimage or sightseeing. The walls of the tunnels told the entire story with both words and illustrations. Rajaxx held his speech at the most central sanctum, deep beneath the site of the ancient battle.

"The Creator blesses those who pledge their whole being to his service. I and the others who have been picked by the divine Emperors to serve as their most revered servants, have done this since our birth. Not because of glory but because of our devotion to His cause. You must learn this if we are to win the blasphemer horde."

Sirexx took a look around the enormous room. Even in the extremely dim light of a few torches it was clear that the place was many millennia old. The writings and pictures on the walls were close to crumbling away. That didn't take away their magnificence and their makers' heartfelt devotion to retelling the story. It was clear that many decades of work had been put to commemorate the event.

"This temple will be yours as much as the original defenders' when Silithus will be safe again. Remember: the elves will fall in this war. Kalimdor is our birthright and the Creator's blessing will give it to us. But when we'll be victorious, there won't be "us" anymore. Only the Creator's faithful who rule in his name."

Unity and sacrifice were highly respected virtues in qiraji society but Rajaxx's words unnerved Sirexx greatly. He sounded like he meant literally what he said. Giving one's all to one's homeland is a noble cause for any qiraji but to submit totally to one cause…

"From this day on, failure is no longer an option… the Creator's blessing is on our side. Our strategy remains the same but remember: the heroes of the War of Inception gave their lives to Ahn'Qiraj and only because of them you were even born. Show me what their sacrifice and the Creator's trust mean to you!"

Despite everything, Sirexx felt great pride at Rajaxx's words. The pictures of the glories the qiraji would achieve: the mere thought of Ahn'Qiraj being the center of Kalimdor and the world and the fact that he could be a part of it… it filled Sirexx with ecstasy as he made his salute to the general. He so dearly hoped he could embrace that fate fully.

The hall was filled to an extreme and his comrades were nowhere to be seen. The reaction among the assembled crowd was a mixture of fierce acclaim to the speech and cheers filled with national nostalgia and hope of glory. A perfect mass to simply become one with.

Sirexx cringed. Once he might have been ready to get in line with the others but N'zoth and Alt'hesh's words made him wish he could just disappear. Rajaxx's words chilled him to the bone, no matter how he tried to become part of the celebrating crowd.

* * *

"What was your take on the speech, Sirexx?" The burning heat of noon burned mercilessly upon the two qiraji who had decided to feast on a hill west of the camp.

"I think you know, Alt'hesh. It seemed as enticing as a group of taurens to a kodo-stealing troll." Sirexx had never been one to joke but for once he didn't want to be interrogated.

Alt'hesh chuckled a bit at the other Unseen's comment as he chewed on a bite of scorpid meat.

"Or someone about to be sacrificed at the sight of a priest… Yes. I know." Alt'hesh returned the joke on a subject that neither of them found any humor in.

"Yet we have to feel respect to the heroes of the past. Rajaxx's words won't defile their actions and neither will they force us to do anything."

"True, true. But we must also focus on the present. Our leaders have acted very strangely, scarily even lately. Our war strategy, well, sucks and Rajaxx's words were strange, to say at least. Moreover, the prophets use their powers ever more often to torture criminals and enemies."

A heavy gust of wind nearly tipped over Alt'hesh's dinner bowl as he spoke. Sirexx welcomed the wind, even if it was almost more burning than the weather.

"How do you know this? I mean, the prophets seldom perform their rituals publicly." Sirexx had known Alt'hesh for a long time but not closely enough to trust him completely. He was Idh'lash's former leader and a good one but… Idh'lash was gone and Alt'hesh was still nearly a stranger to him.

"In the past, yes, but during our retreat from Un'goro, they wanted to make examples of the ones who they perceived as the weakest links of the army. They were pure scapegoats to hide Pax'lish's failures, if you ask me."

 _What makes him so hostile toward Pax'lish? The others seem to completely with our strategy… Either Alt'hesh has gone through something I don't know about or he isn't completely honest…_

Sirexx decided not to ask yet in the case Alt'hesh had something to hide. That wasn't important right now anyway. Yet, Alt'hesh's tone had begun to unnerve him.

"Are you the only one who bashes our superiors this openly? You know, even I would be in danger in case anyone …"

"This is much more important than either of us! This "precognition" of yours is becoming true! Can't you see it?" Alt'hesh cut Sirexx's sentence with an agitated voice. The latter sighed audibly. He took an expression of someone telling the truth even if the implications scared him.

"I hope I didn't. But I cannot deny that our leaders are becoming increasingly totalitarian. I… just don't what to do about it. Everybody else seems to even approve of this development."

Alt'hesh was about to answer when something distracted him. A loud bang of a bell could be heard from the camp. It bore an eerie tone to it and it would likely carry a message of an approaching hardship. Not soon after, a loud cry could be heard from the camp.

"Stop whatever you're doing and secure the frontline! The night elves have begun their advance!"


	21. The Warriors of the Flying Sand

The Warriors of the Flying Sand

Despite the early shock from the falling star-like magic, the qiraji managed to prepare their defenses in a surprisingly organized way. The fortifications crumbled beneath the druids' rain of desolation but before long the prophets were able to return the favor. The barrages of black fire, the mind-shattering horrors and the shifting of the sands greeted the enemy casters. Knowing that this battle wouldn't be decided by magi, both sides begun to gather their forcesF for a confrontation, the night elves having a slight advantage time advantage.

Danoxx and Va'rel's squads had once again been ordered to work together in case of an attack. When it eventually came, they were supposed to gather on the southeastern side of the camp. The Unseen were no expert melee fighters so even in a case of battle, their job would be to cause chaos beneath the enemy ranks.

* * *

"So Danoxx, it seems you're still alive despite your pitiful mission and just punishment?" Va'rel didn't even try to hide his deep schadenfreude at his fellow squad leader's failure. Despite the two leaders' frosty relationship, there was no real bad blood between the other members of the two squads. The two armies were slowly approaching on their left, the sun burning agonizingly hot on their backs.

"Yes I am, Va'rel… Unlike you, we actually had other job than just dying in vain." Danoxx didn't want to underrate the sacrifices of his dead comrades but Va'rel had to be put in line.

"Which you squandered! Which gives you no right to insult those who gave their lives away!" Va'rel tried to grab Danoxx's throat to teach him a lesson, a move which was countered by Danoxx grabbing of his chela.

"We may continue this later, Va'rel, but right now we have a battle to fight!"

Danoxx had no real desire to continue the conversation but his interruption came due to the battle of the casters beginning to die out. Additionally, he hoped to salvage some of his name in the beginning battle. Va'rel took a look at the forming battlefield but said nothing. He knew Danoxx was right.

"Very well, let's go! We have some druids to kill" Danoxx waved his companions to follow him.

"The mission is on! Make the Creator proud!" Va'rel's voice was much more demanding and less friendly. However, the effect on both groups was similar. Even if the High Ambushers had different leading styles, their subordinates trusted and respected them completely.

* * *

Since the armies' reunification at Silithus, General Rajaxx had taken the command of the war effort. Pax'lish had been appointed his second-in-command but was firmly under the General's orders. Rajaxx was the master of the gladiators, towering over every other member of his kind. His skill in melee fighting was unparalleled by any other qiraji. He had commanded countless battles and his few defeats were dwarfed by his impressive list of victories and personal acts of heroism. The general was incredibly ancient, probably one of the oldest ones living qiraji who had been born after the War of Inception.

His gaze was fixed on the approaching night elf army. He knew that they would probably overwhelm the qiraji if the latter didn't receive significant reinforcements. The General's mouth formed a deeply anticipating smile. Reinforcements were indeed on their way and once they arrived, the elves would have a completely different view of the outcome of the war.

* * *

Among the shifting sands of Silithus, the eight Unseen moved about a dozen meters apart from each other, in a formation which resembled parallelogram. This way their sight of their surroundings would me maximized. Each of them had their own fears about the battle but the druids' true power was one of the more common ones. Would the Khar'sis be able to sense their approach? Would they be expected at all? Apparently the Unseen had suffered massive casualties lately so perhaps the elves thought they were as good as dead already?

While Va'rel was in many ways similar to Ra'jol, impatience wasn't a "virtue" they shared. The former one was a well like collaborator as he never made a hasty move or decision. He wanted to make sure that his service to the Creator wouldn't be cut short by his stupidity. Danoxx always thought about his comrades' chance of survival before making decisions as long as it didn't completely compromise the mission's success.

"At least some of the druids have gathered on those series of hills. I'd say poisoned knives are our best chance to take them out." Va'rel spoke normally as the crystals only worked with his own squad, meaning that Danoxx's group wouldn't hear the message.

"Wasps could do extra damage when the enemy's in disarray." Danoxx answered to him. The leaders were in the center of the leading line, only a few meters from each other.

"Yes, that might work." Va'rel answered simply, not willing to waste any time on unneeded babbling. Even if his patience wasn't growing thin, he wanted to get things done as soon as possible. The druids were not far from the qiraji, their eyes fixed on the beginning battle, beginning to change their destructive spells into healing ones.

 _That's needs to stop immediately! Our fighters cannot be allowed to die for nothing!_

* * *

Rajaxx was thrilled beyond measure. He was in the lead of the qiraji army and the first to have engaged the elves in the ongoing melee. Some of the more fearful elves had even tried to get away from him during the charge but they only broke the elf army's ranks. Three Kaldorei had been crushed in the initial contact and the general's killing spree didn't slow in the slightest.

"You think any of you bastards are any match for us? You think you may contain us? Come here and I'll show you our power!

Rajaxx grinned sadistically as his enemies tried to back down. The thick enemy ranks thwarted any plans of escape. Rajaxx's massive chelae swept and crushed enemies beyond measure. Screams of horror were evident when he severed Sentinel's legs from his body.

"Left flank, be careful! Take out that group of elves that's trying to outflank you! The ones around me, form a defensive position! Our reinforcements are arriving in any moment, hold the line until then!"

Rajaxx's thundering voice rang through the battlefield, carrying wise and newly-made strategies for his troops and deeply chilling threats to his enemies. No matter what the enemy or the battlefield was, the towering general was always the centerpiece of the battle, the leader of the qiraji and the main focus for the enemy. Many had tried to take him down but the General's deep-blue armor was a marvel in itself. It was made of finest thorium and it had many perfect enchanted rubies planted in it. Additionally, it hold the greatest blessings of every civilization of Kalimdor. His immense size, legendary fighting skills and a nearly impenetrable armor made him one of the most dangerous foes in all of Kalimdor.

"Left side, break their ranks! The enemy is starting to waver!

Even if the initial balance of power favored the elves, his forces had heroically held their ground. Rajaxx was pleased: with the reinforcements' arrival, the day would be theirs.

* * *

"Father, let me join the battle! We must make a breakthrough now! I'll serve better in the battlefield than here!" Valstann's voice was more persuasive than pleading but still carried a clear message. The Staghelms were following and leading the battle on the edge of the Southwind village, just behind their army.

"As a druid you'll serve better by healing the wounded. The battle is already ours: their numbers are simply too small, even with that giant berserker. There's no need for you to die in vain."

"But the big one will kill hundreds of us before this is over! We cannot ignore it!" Valstann was concerned of the possible casualties that more than likely would be heavy.

"There isn't anything we can do, either. I've checked it already, he's immune to all of our spells. He'll fall in battle soon enough, anyway."

Valstann frowned heavily at his father's comment. He might be right about the battle's outcome but the casualties would be unnecessarily big, at least as far as he was concerned.

* * *

After the fiasco of Feralas, Sirexx was relieved to see that at least something went according to plans. Their late arrival had lulled the druids into a false sense of security. He could simply observe their movements and weak points from a small distance, his presence completely lost to the overconfident group of druids. The job of the High Ambushers

* * *

would be easy as it was their job to strike first. The elves clearly thought they were safe from any surprises.

 _Wrong conclusion, you heathen scum!_

Va'rel carried a distinct loathing to all of his enemies. If they had been unfortunate enough to have ended in that kind of relationship, they were either enemies of the Creator or total weaklings which were both of the two features he couldn't stand. Va'rel didn't feel happiness at the sight of his poisoned dagger but a distinct sense of satisfaction filled him. The High Ambusher didn't stop for a moment for he would not rest until he had taken out as many enemies as he could. Very soon the druid ranks would fall into a chaos as their comrades begun falling one by one.

* * *

Ra'jol was happy to see that their surprise attack had begun promisingly. He was stationed a hundred meters to Va'rel's left so when the disorder begun to spread, a great opportunity opened for him to take a few enemies out. The attack, however, had to be swift and silent or the druids would have enough time to kill him. The distraction proved to be more than enough for a competent Unseen to do the job.

The druids looked in confusion to their left when the left flank begun to waver and cries of pain begun to make themselves heard. The druids didn't abandon their posts nor did they stop their healing but the moment of distraction was all Ra'jol needed. A few gurgling sounds were all that could be heard from the two elves whose throats were pierced by a knife.

A few moments later both of the High Ambushers gave the orders for their squads to withdraw. The attack had been successful but any further lingering would end up in the Unseens' elimination. If the battle wouldn't end before then, the qiraji would strike again and again until either of the two sides had been depleted completely.

* * *

Fandral took a grim look at the druids' handling of the situation. They seemed to have forgotten that they were actually in a battlefield and thus in a clear danger themselves. The Archdruid usually was a supportive leader but mistakes of this magnitude irritated him greatly.

"Even with those fools' idiotism the qiraji won't stand a chance. Their mistake was merely their own." Fandral's voice was firm and unapologizing. Valstann was far more sympathetic to the deceased ones but he had to agree they made fateful mistakes.

"The wind is rising. The sand will soon cloud our vision." Valstann wanted to turn the subject on other but equally important matter.

"No matter. The nature will tell us enough, at least until the last qiraji crumbles before us." Fandral used "we" even if he was the only one capable of communicating with the qiraji earth.

* * *

"Third regiment, step back! Hold the line at all costs! Prophets on the right, contain the black fires! They're moving towards the fourteenth regiment!"

Rajaxx was nearly unscathed despite the fierce fighting. He stood like an unbreakable mountain of blue, swiping his enemies like they were only grains of sand in the desert. Meanwhile, the beginning sandstorm confirmed one thing to the General: the battle was all but decided.

* * *

The elves facing the colossal qiraji might have known that the victory was near but the presence of such a harbinger of death made them shiver in despair. Each of their thoughts were focused on dodging the massive chelae and the sandstorm made their situation even worse. The situation continued for a couple of minutes…until they saw something that made them freeze in terror.

Massive shadows appeared in the whirlwind of sand and dirt. At first the elves might have dismissed them as some kind of illusion of light but they approached at an alarming rate. Additionally, the earth begun to tremble: as if hundreds of massive creatures were on the move. The elves looked in utter shock and disbelief as the newcomers arrived. The last thing the elves on the frontline saw were the feet of a colossal being, its other features never to be seen by their first victims.

"What… the hell are those…?" Ke'nir asked in awe. Dozens of statue-like creatures joining the qirajis' side of battle was a sight that filled him with jubilation but also horror. If they had beings of this power on their side, what other secrets they would have in store?

"Our job is done. Soon the elves won't be even fit to be food for the scarabs." Va'rel didn't hide his exhilaration at the unfolding massacre. He seemed almost friendly when he witnessed another victory for the Creator. Danoxx stayed silent. His sentiments echoed those of Ke'nir's but he also felt relieved to know that their job was done for today.

Sirexx was completely terrified. Beings of such magnitude were extremely rare and hard to control. If they would be used against the qiraji themselves, the consequences would be apocalyptic. Not only that but this kind of show of power would quell even the least dissent.

* * *

A jackal-resembling face. The green eyes and long ears. The white garments hanging from their shoulders. The almighty hands and their immense size drilled deep into Fandral's mind. The sight of them kicking his troops into the next world filled Fandral with dread. Even if he was a highly seasoned general, he was completely stunned for a moment. After a while, he could hear Valstann yelling the order the army was executing even hearing the order. A mass panic had taken over them all.

"Retreat! Fall back into Southwind, fast! We will try to stop the monstrosities before they reach it!" Moments like these are something that no leader can ever get used to. Hundreds dying because of your dismissal of one scenario, never mind how unlikely it had seemed. All that was left was to try to save as many as he could.

* * *

Rajaxx had vacated his position as the center of the battle. He had begun to retreat because any of the qiraji would only be on the way of their mighty pawns. The General had no power over them so the only order he could give was an orderly and safe retreat. The jackal-faced statues led the onslaught. Uncomfortably for him, only the strongest of the prophets could give them orders.

 _A dreary thought… Even I would be crushed beneath them and I have no way to command them! Since when did I become a walkover!? Well, the battle is won and that is what matters for now._

* * *

Immensely bright barrages of falling starlight covered the entrance to the Southwind village. Anyone standing in a radius of a hundred meters could feel the burn of the falling light and the trembling of the ground. All of the druids casting the spell of great power felt guilt and sorrow as they knew they were saving only a part of their army. They simply could not risk the walking monstrosities entering their stronghold. The consequences of such a scenario were too terrible to contemplate.

The few surviving elves from the frontline watched in horror and retirement. The thought of being denied escape from certain death by their own comrades filled them with utter despair. At this moment the only order that rang in their minds was the primal urge to live, to see another day. Had they had the time to reflect on their situation, some of the elves might have noticed something beautiful in the fact that they escaped death towards the essence of their goddess, Elune. The Children of the Stars, or the Kaldorei in their language, would meet their end under the falling stars, their raw yet enchanting power enveloping them and their enemies undiscriminatingly.

But the elves wouldn't even have the comfort of being able to take their killers with them. The living statues stopped as they approached the wall of dark blue destruction. They slowly surrounded the survivors and drove them toward the wall. The few who refused to willingly walk into their doom were taken down by the seemingly invincible enemy.

"So this it." A night elf sentinel sighed in deep sorrow to her comrade and friend.

"I guess. Of all the ways and places to die, it has to be this hellhole. Trapped by our own troops…" Her words were angry but her voice was already beaten.

"We'll try to fight them until our last bone shatters. Let's show these monstrosities how a true Sentinel fights!"

"We will… We'll meet again in Elune's domain. For Vordanaar!"

The two night elves charged towards the approaching enemy, only seeing their legs that crushed the elves' friends. Sickening sounds of crushing bones were all that could be heard around them but they didn't care. It was only a couple of seconds, however, before it was their turn. Before the two friends could see what was happening, the fists of the massive statues wiped them to the next world.

* * *

The devastation was complete. Under the dying sandstorm could be seen the handwork of the new fighters. Judging by the number of the corpses, the victory was a major one for the qiraji. The statues were finishing their job and only now could their total number be estimated. There were about a hundred of the mysterious killing machines. The wall of falling stars was still unrelenting as the elves couldn't risk the enemy entering their village.

The faces of the qiraji were mixed in deep reverence and surprise. They were happy to see that the newcomers were on their side but curious about their origin. The elves, on the other hand, were shivering in sorrow and defeat, completely in loss after the crushing defeat. Whereas from the qiraji side could be heard voices of jubilation and happiness, the elves' silence was only broken by voices of sobbing and questions about their most likely dead comrades. The sight was inconsolable.

The qiraji were still recovering the wounded from the battlefield and giving them the best treatment they could when the bell rang once again. This time, however, the General was standing next to it, implicating he had something to say after the victory.

"Heroic defenders of Ahn'Qiraj! Today you have been blessed in the way no one has been ever before! Our saviors, the unbeatable constructs of living stone, were gifted to you by their divine majesties, the Twin Emperors!"

Audible gasping could be heard from the qiraji army. The Emperors were content of myths, never seen or never heard about. If they were behind their new allies, they had to be stronger than any enemy or ally. Rajaxx devoted his speech to celebrate the victory and to acknowledge the instruments of their triumph. His brilliantly blue armor was covered in the blood of his enemies, testament to his legendary ferocity.

"Our beloved rulers have for centuries without end researched the items of power you and your forefathers have brought to us from your missions! No one has ever before been able to breathe life into stone, a feat only possible to such magnificent beings! But this achievement wouldn't have been possible without their devoted subjects' loyalty." The General's praising voice quickly turned into what seemed to be a genuine sign of acknowledgement from the mighty qiraji.

Most of the Unseen had already rejoined the main force and listened to Rajaxx's words with deep relief at the fact that they were hearing it. Va'rel and Ra'jol felt the deepest pride at the acknowledgment and greatest respect at the Emperors' efforts. None of the Unseen was left totally unimpressed at their leader's heartfelt speech. Alt'hesh, who was standing on the right side of the Unseen ranks, seemed to cringe slightly but otherwise his expression was as triumphant as the others'. No one could read his real thoughts unless they really wanted to see signs of blasphemy in them.

"This is what it means to be a servant of the holy Creator! We pulled a victory from the jaws of defeat with weapons like none of our enemies will ever see! The Emperors were the first, the mightiest, of the Creator's servants and their help turned today into a triumph. But remember: you don't have to be an almighty being of divine power to leave your mark on history! Today you, like your forefathers all those thousands of years ago, made history which will one day be a legend."

The wall of falling starlight was finally beginning to fade away as the living statues begun to back away from it. Their mission was done for today and they began to approach the qiraji army. In the distance could be seen the beginnings of giant fortifications. The elves wasted no time in securing their positions.

"But only if we win this war. The invading elves still try to seek our total extermination. No one would have right to ask more of you but we have no choice. We must push this army of conquerors far north and claim their lands! Only this way will we and the Creator's will be safe! Failure to do so will completely undo everything you, your ancestors and the Creator has ever done!"

A condemning chorus of cries echoed from the huge crowd. The elves goals were known since the start of the war but the General's words were like a final confirmation to them. There would be no mercy, no compromise. Not for the hated enemy.

"And the Emperors' creations will help us do just that. Soon there will be thousands of them, more than there will be elves! They will not stand a chance! We will march from victory to victory with the invincible Anubisath!"


	22. Revelation and Retribution

Revelation and Retribution

A qiraji's distress could usually only be recognized by its fear-reeking smell. However, during the training of each caste such instincts were trained to be completely suppressed. Especially for the Unseen it was a useful skill as they had to hide their presence to every other being. Had Alt'hesh forgotten this part of his training, it would most likely have resulted in his death.

In the dark corners of one of the largest tents of the qiraji camp, the deep blue, almost black, Unseen was holding a large crystal in his chelae. He struggled to keep its resonations as silent as possible, as he did not want to alert the guards outside the tent. The red crystal belonged to Kre'jess, the leading prophet in the army who acted as Skeram's substitute during the Prophet's curious absence. What interested Alt'hesh in the item was the fact of which few qiraji knew: the conversations via the crystals consisted of vibrations which could deciphered by the qirajis' antennae. The real secret was the fact that the vibrations left a temporary mark in the crystal which could be read afterwards. Usually the marks disappeared within a day so Alt'hesh could only hope that the crystal was used recently.

The High Ambusher tried against despair to find the marks but deciphering old conversations was harder than he had expected. He examined every part of the crystal carefully but they seemed to carry nothing of value.

 _Did I come here for nothing? If I cannot find any proof now, I have to come back later which means increased chance of danger! Oh, what is this…_

Alt'hesh found something interesting from the crystal. It felt like a long gone memory, nearly impossible to dig from the depths of one's mind. It would require extreme caution and care so that one would be able to decipher what secrets the traces contained.

Alt'hesh begun to very carefully adjust the vibration of his antennae to be in synch with the crystal. Usually it was easy as the crystal's vibration was powerful enough to make the deciphering easy. This trace of past conversation, however, was very frail and was contained only to small parts of the object. As sound is audible to ear, vibrations could "heard" in only certain frequencies. Searching for the correct frequency was a tasking job as only few of the tens of thousands of them available to the qiraji could hear the frail echo emanating from the crystal.

It took many long minutes until Alt'hesh was starting to get on the right track. First he heard distant hissing, then extremely distant muttering. They were followed by inaudible whispers after which the deciphering became harder. The final fine-tuning took a long time and Alt'hesh was getting panicked because of his stretched visit. Finally, something started to reach the High Ambusher's antennae.

* * *

" _The Exalted Prophet,_ _the Anubisath worked as you foresaw. The night elves were defeated utterly."_

The voice was Kre'jess' and carried only reverence and pride.

" _Of course. Emperor Vek'nilash spent centuries collecting the spells required to awaken them while the other divine majesty Vek'lor built them. The elves won't stand a chance."_

Skeram's voice was matter-of-factly. It was as if he had spoken similar words for countless times.

" _But the druids were able to stop their advance. I'm afraid we need more…"_

" _You don't have to be afraid of anything! Do you honestly think we don't have plans for destroying that wretched village? Idiot! Everything is set! The strategy to total victory and new order are complete!"_

Skeram's voice held a pause for reasons Alt'hesh couldn't know. If the Prophet continued with telling about those plans, the Unseen would have his proof.

" _Yes, of course, please forgive me, Great Prophet. It isn't my place to question you. But may I ask, what is the discovery which will secure us Southwind village?"_

Kre'jess sounded humble but the way he sent the vibrations spoke of deep anticipation.

" _We have found that the spells which bound the anubisath to our will has extreme potential. The Creator has spoken to me, saying the time is right for us, the qiraji, to take the next step."_

Alt'hesh could feel fear filling his mind. He could see where the conversation was going and without a doubt Kre'jess could too.

" _The Creator has offered us a chance to ascend to perfection. Under His guidance, I have researched spells of divine power which are going to end all the resistance to our cause inside and outside Ahn'Qiraj. This kind of immeasurable power will turn us truly into an extension of the beloved Creator and make us truly his servants. Only in this way can we hope to create a divine kingdom in our flawed Kalimdor."_

So this was it. Skeram was planning on making the qiraji mindless pawns of an unknown divinity. Alt'hesh's worst fears had been confirmed, no matter how badly he had hoped otherwise. He would have wanted to just leave but on the other hand the rest of the conversation could hold something of value.

" _I… I don't know what to say… Of all the qiraji, I was among those who could live to see this day… I'm honored beyond words."_

" _As am I, Kre'jess. Unfortunately, we cannot promote everyone at the same time. We have to do this in steps. We, the prophets, will be the first. The promised day will happen within a week."_

" _I will let the prophets know, the Exalted Prophet. We will answer your call when the time comes. My deepest appreciation for relaying these wonderful news."_

" _It is my duty to our god. I will make the necessary preparations for the ritual. Everything will be perfect… Until then, make the Creator proud, Kre'jess."_

Alt'hesh would have paled and sweat heavily had he been able to. Now, however, all that communicated of his horror was his completely inconsolable expression and his noticeable shuddering.

 _Kre'jess knows of this and does nothing!? How can anyone accept that kind of an "offer"? It's pure madness!_

Alt'hesh had never been the most observant follower of the religious establishment of Ahn'Qiraj as he had always believed before all in himself, his own skills and the present day. Many had called him cynical, depressing even, but even before becoming a High Ambusher Alt'hesh had never felt the "close relationship" with the Creator many other qiraji claimed to have. He had let the matter simply be and keep his ignorance unknown even to his comrades. One particular scene came to his mind when he had almost gotten into trouble due to his disregard for the Prophets' teachings.

Alt'hesh forced himself to awake from his thoughts. The others had to be warned, no matter the cost. He took a look at Kre'jess' sleeping form but he knew that taking the prophet out would result in his own elimination soon enough. No, he couldn't afford dying here, not now. The door out was guarded but an adept Unseen could fool even the most vigilant of guards. He had entered the building without any problems and he could exit it too. The guards didn't expect an intrusion by other qiraji so they hadn't even prepared for such an event. It took only less than half a minute before Alt'hesh was out from the tent, carrying terrified thoughts and deep fear about the coming weeks.

* * *

The rising sun emerged from behind the mountains of Silithus, painting the walls of the tents bright white. Most of the qiraji started to wake up into a morning unlike the previous ones. Today they felt like they could soon start their victorious march towards the northern reaches of Kalimdor. One brown qiraji, however, wished more modest things.

 _Ugh, why can't I be back in Promise! Life was so much easier without any great visions for the future, without this war! Me'lesh is all but forbidden here and the food is terrible. All ishns are useless here, there's nothing to buy! Nothing that would give us credit for our work! Forced equality among all comrades: it just doesn't work!_

Life in the qiraji camp was completely centered on the war effort. When one didn't sleep or fight, he had to train and take part in strategy conferences. Constant drive to find trivial errors in his fighting skills was often frustrating and unthankful. The strategy-making, on the other hand, felt useless due to the many scenarios of which the coming battles would take. Additionally, if Ahn'Qiraj had more surprises on the way, the last vestiges of strategy would vanish like smoke into thin air.

 _Of course we're at war right now but the elves are on the run! I trust that Rajaxx knows what he's doing but it makes little sense now. Even Danoxx is completely left out._

And then there was this Alt'hesh High Ambusher wasn't telling him everything and he seemed a bit distant. As if he thought of Sirexx only as a potential cooperative, not as a trusted ally. He clearly knew something important and the brown qiraji wanted to know what. Sirexx didn't like being used so unless Alt'hesh told him everything, and if not, then their potential alliance would meet a premature end.

 _There is something about him I don't like. Perhaps I should ask Ke'nir about him. He should know him better than me._

* * *

Alt'hesh's face was twisted by fear and insomnia. He hadn't had the time to even sleep since his terrifying discovery. He had already passed the word to two of his close subordinates called Yr'haxx and A'ker. Their reactions were similar to Alt'hesh's. They probably would have thought that their friend was becoming paranoid if the High Ambusher hadn't copied the conversation to his own crystal. To their initial surprise Alt'hesh had warned them not to do anything hasty.

" _Only tell your very close and trusted friends. Tell them to spread the word but make one thing clear to them: if anyone blabbers about what we know to the prophets_ , _we'll all be dead! Even now I'm risking my life by telling you about this!"_

 _The two took a quick glance at each other, knowing that Alt'hesh's words were true. They would have to advance extremely carefully or everything would be lost. They were deeply disturbed by the next look Alt'hesh gave them. It was a mixture of horror and regret, of sadness and determination._

" _Now that you know about this, I trust we agree on about what must be done. I cannot say about you but I will serve Skeram no longer. He must be brought down, along with everyone who agress with him!"_

" _But… we'll never succeed! If we do anything against the kingdom, we're as good as dead!" A'ker exclaimed._

" _Silence! Talk voicelessly. Alt'hesh, you speak like you're completely ready to abandon our people, our home… are you ready for all this?" Yr'haxx asked in a resolute and inquisitive voice._

" _I really don't know. But I've made my choice. I cannot ask you to join me as our chances of even resisting the coming catastrophe is minimal. Do as your conscience tells you, that's all I can ask. Not as your High Ambusher but as a fellow qiraji." Alt'hesh didn't sound inculpatory but rather pleading._

 _Yr'haxx and A'ker looked distressed but they seemed to acknowledge the truth. They were about to answer when loud footsteps were heard approaching their tent. They bypassed their position, however and the two gave their answer._

" _I have to be insane or idealist but, dammit, I have to help you! You have been a trusted friend for years and I simply cannot let you die alone!" Yr'haxx's voice carried immense regret and emotion but even then his expression communicated no contradiction. He had made up his mind._

" _I never would have thought to see this day. That I would be ready to stand against our beloved state! But your revelations have opened my eyes, Alt'hesh. What the prophets are doing is unbelievable but you've proven you're speaking the truth. I cannot comprehend why they're dooming us all but I won't be part of it!" A'ker was seemingly sickened and he looked directly into Alt'hesh's eyes as he spoke. A haunted look greeted another as all the three Unseen tried to grasp on what was unfolding._

" _I… I couldn't have asked for better squad members or more importantly, friends. Thank you. That's all I can say to you now. A'ker, Yr'haxx… we're all doomed now to die should our creed be revealed to the prophets. We're in this together now. Spread the word. Spread the sparks. We'll see what we can do in the coming days._

Alt'hesh was eternally grateful to the duo's support but now the question was who would be a trusted recruit for their cause. The fourth member of his squad, Esek'sh, wouldn't do: he was far too deeply invested in the Creator's cult to believe him. Va'rel's squad? Maybe later but for now he would only choose the ones he trusted completely. He guessed Ke'nir was a safe pick but Sirexx was a question mark. He was far too unsure, far too wavering to trust one's own and his friends' lives to. Yet, he needed every possible qiraji to join his fledgling movement. There wouldn't be many better potential recruits than Sirexx.

 _Five thus far. So damn awesome. That'll make a difference!_

The apparent "voice of reason" mocked him from the back of his head, trying to suppress this desperate ambition of his.

 _But there's no other choice! Five with us is better than five brainwashed pawns!_

Alt'hesh knew his thoughts were taking him nowhere but he couldn't help it: his friends were counting their lives on him and most importantly: Alt'hesh couldn't bear the thought of himself failing as a leader.

* * *

"I can see what you're trying to say but he's completely trustworthy. Parry this!" Ke'nir hit his chela straight toward Sirexx's face but the latter ducked quickly and went for Ke'nir's face. The hit was parried quickly and the two qiraji stood once again searching any kind of weakness in his opponent's guard. The sparring matches were obligatory chore between battles but one could most of the time choose the opponent.

"But… he seems completely obvious to the others around him. Yes, he listens but he seems to… live only in his own thoughts, if you know what I mean." In a split second, Sirexx kicked his friend to the thigh-like portion of the qiraji's leg, which almost felled Ke'nir. Almost. The smaller qiraji regained his balance quickly enough to avoid losing the sparring match.

"Well, between us I must admit that Alt'hesh is quite egocentric. He always thinks of his own position first and he does almost anything to avoid a personal humiliation. I could see it once we were both assigned to the long-distance regiments. He would hardly never cancel a mission if it there was even a slight chance that it could be completed. No, don't get me wrong, he wouldn't endanger his comrades for his own benefit, he simply wants to prove to himself that he's the most adept leader."

Sirexx's face formed a puzzled look, clearly confused by his friend's words. He had no time to wonder, however, as Ke'nir renewed his assault. They both sweat heavily as the day was uncommonly hot, even for Silithus. Even the slight wind felt burningly hot.

"Which he can never be with such an attitude! A leader must never think of himself before his comrades!" Ke'nir hissed as his attack was quickly repelled.

"Perhaps not but Alt'hesh often seems to know what to do. He's incredibly clever and he knows how to inspire people. Perhaps his true motives aren't completely honorable but he knows how to do his job. An incompetent leader couldn't become a High Ambusher after all!"

"Ke'nir, your defense relies too heavily to dodging! You could use your chelae more to block my attacks! It drags your tempo down. And yes, I haven't heard a bad word about Alt'hesh but a leader who cares about himself the most doesn't sound like a great leader to me."

"Oh? I'm heartbroken, Sirexx! Isn't my natural charisma enough for you?"

Sirexx turned around in utter surprise to see the blue-eyed qiraji standing in front of him. What did he want this time?

"Alt'hesh! I didn't mean…

"There's no time for blabbering now! I'd like you to come to my tent in the evening, shortly after nightfall. I have some important announcement, or rather proposition, for both of you. It is of utmost importance." Alt'hesh's expression turned very quickly to grave serious after his initial humor. It was clear that he meant what he said. His clear distress was enough proof to Ke'nir that something important was behind this invite.

"I'll be there. Are there going to be others there?" Ke'nir said in a casual manner which still asked an obvious question: was something big starting to happen?

"I dearly hope so, Ke'nir. The entire outcome of the meeting hinges on that." Sirexx could see that Alt'hesh had almost pleading gaze. He decided to give the High Ambusher a chance to show what was wrong."

"Very well, Alt'hesh. Tell us what's on your mind."

* * *

The darkening night was enough to cover the few dark forms entering one of the tents. It was located in a fairly central place of the camp, only a few tent rows from Kre'jess' tent. Not an ideal spot for a secret meeting but there was no other fitting alternative, not for the moment. The interior of the tent contained slightly more personal belongings than the others' but it was still quite lax. Alt'hesh decided to raise the curtains of secrecy.

"Greetings, everyone! My sincerest appreciations for attending this meeting. It pleases me to see that there are eleven qiraji present, including one gladiator and a battleguard! Your presence here is of paramount importance as it might save us all. You were handpicked by my most trusted friends so you have my full trust as well."

The audience wasn't exactly hostile but the demand for answers was tangible. Alt'hesh's voice was very restrained, in order not to alert anyone outside the tent.

"I have recorded one conversation I'd like all of you to hear. It's stored in this crystal and it's copied from prophet Kre'jess' own crystal! It is a conversation between him and Skeram."

Without saying anything else, Alt'hesh put the crystal in the middle of the group, close enough for everyone to hear what was about to unfold. The beginning of the conversation was met with deep interest and excitement at the Prophet's confidence of their victory. As the meeting progressed, however, most of the expressions turned into those of horror and disgust. Few of the attendees had unreadable expressions but everyone was deeply surprised.

"Yes, my friends: the prophets are selling themselves and us to slavery for vague promises from an unknown being." Alt'hesh knew he was speaking mostly for himself on Creator's trustworthiness but he trusted that his friends hadn't brought any fanatics with them. He had to sound as convincing as possible should he be able to pull off his plan.

"I know this must be hard for all of you to believe but you know that no one can counterfeit Skeram or Kre'jess' vibrations. Each of us, the qiraji, have our own and you all know Skeram's "voice". There's only one explanation for all this: our beloved have betrayed us!"

"Liar! Skeram thinks only about our best! There's no way he would ever betray us!" An Unseen sitting next to Sirexx started with a high voice but despite his agitation, he realized to lower his voice down quickly.

"Yes! The Creator has always led us with wisdom and love! You…"

"Silence! Yes, in the past we have always thrived but only because we have been allowed to live freely outside of our missions! Never before has there been plans to rob us of our minds, of our very lives!"

Alt'hesh noticed some emerging opposition but he decided to press on with his point. He couldn't give any ground to the more pro-Skeram faction. His voice became increasingly preaching and emotional.

"That was our "deal": we did our part but otherwise we lived as any other sentient beings: we had our pleasures, our feelings and our beloved comrades. Yes, all of us dreamed of the "coming paradise" where we ruled as the Creator's chosen people. Well, now we know the price. We have to give everything to fulfill this so-called dream. We might be able to obtain it but even in the best-case-scenario, we are only husks of our true selves, walking corpses, devoid of any true feelings or independent thoughts."

Many in the audience seemed unconvinced but the speech was beginning to raise thoughts. Each of them knew Alt'hesh's crystal's message wasn't a fake and they had a hard time imagining any scenario where Skeram's plans resulted in a favorable outcome.

"Which takes me to my proposition. I'm sorry I have to ask this but I ask you to join my new group, or organization, if you will, which aims at, if not overthrowing, at least resisting these new evils of our prophets."

At this comment, loud blabbering rose in the room. It quickly took an aggressive tone, but no serious physical contact was made. This soothed Alt'hesh somewhat but the arguments had to end before it degenerated into a brawl. The High Ambusher joined his listeners in order to show that he was one of them, not their absolute leader.

"I owe it to you to answer your questions and soothe your misgivings about this meeting." Alt'hesh's voice was soft and as understanding of his comrades' situation as possible. The arguments eased somewhat but a few angry faces turned toward Alt'hesh.

"Who do you think you are? You cannot simply make us come here to tell us to begin a revolution! Tha… That is outrageous!" The gladiator approached Alt'hesh menacingly but apparently not because of his "blasphemy" but rather because of his antics.

"I am the highest-ranked of us and I found the evidence! I have led groups of qiraji long before you even joined the gladiators!" Alt'hesh's eyes blazed with challenge but not with antagonism. It seemed he had to prove his strength to convince the long, black gladiator.

The other attendees followed the scene with great interest. They wanted to see how their possible future leader handled a fight. Gladiators were usually much stronger in a direct duel so if Alt'hesh won the fight, he would show exceptional fighting skills. Also, he would prove his trust in his own cause.

"Well, if you wish me to trust you, prove that you're stronger than you look, you hiding coward!" The gladiator advanced suddenly, trying to drive Alt'hesh to a corner, preventing him any fancy maneuvers. The Unseen backed down quickly, trying to frustrate the gladiator. It worked moderately well as the melee fighter was already agitated by the situation.

Alt'hesh knew that the gladiators' reflects weren't as impressive as the Unseens'. He begun to charge extremely quickly, clearly aiming for his opponent's right side but at the last moment he changed his target and aimed for his neck. The gladiator looked in shock as he found a dagger sticking out from his neck, only to drop off after a few moments.

"If I meant to kill you, I would have sank the dagger into your flesh, rather than your chitin. I could still do it, if you wish." Alt'hesh gave the gladiator a joyless smile as he had known the outcome all along. The gladiator panted heavily as the situation started to clear for him. The hole in his natural armor proved that he had lost the fight.

"Very well, _High Ambusher._ You aren't a weakling after all, I'll give you that." The gladiator used a mocking voice in order to hide his fear of the direction the meeting was going. He wasn't ready to accept Alt'hesh's offer as no one in his situation could be. With trembling voice he continued.

"The future you've shown me, the horrifying treachery: I want to have no part in it. I was initially too confused to think rationally. Now I see your vision. I'll fight alongside you against this nightmare." The gladiator's entire tone changed which caused confusion among the attendees. Apparently the gladiator had hidden even more fear than he had shown. Nevertheless, Alt'hesh showed no anger or bitterness on his face. He spoke after a minimal pause in order not to embarrass the poor qiraji further and to sound more cordial to the others.

"What is your name, gladiator?"

"I am called Kritass, Alt'hesh."

The High Ambusher then turned his attention to the other attendees. He could see that they were deeply divided over the issue. However, now was the moment of truth. With a sigh, he asked the obvious question.

"What do you others say? Are you willing to risk your lives in order to retain your selves and your lives?" Alt'hesh's voice was soft but resolute. It was now or never.

Silence reigned for long, oppressive moments. Each and every of the attendees knew what to say but finding the courage to say it was easier said than done. The qiraji looked at each other, waiting for someone to be the first to speak. Finally, Yr'haxx decided to break the ice. Alt'hesh who stood hardly a meter in front of him, waited eagerly for the answer.

"I see only one way to go from here. I might die in a battle as well as in the prophets' fires. At least this way I'll fight as myself. I, Yr'haxx, will join this cause."

After the Unseen had stopped, it was mere moments until another of his caste rose up. He was very tall and undoubtedly powerful. There were few Unseen of that size. Even though Sirexx couldn't recall any time they had actually spoken to each other, he could identify him as Uvesh. He didn't know much about him as his squad was very average and Sirexx and he didn't obviously have common ways of spending time.

"I am Uvesh. I will certainly regret this evening but I cannot allow Skeram to succeed. I've had a lot of failings in the past but at least I wish to do something right before the end. I will follow you, Alt'hesh."

Sirexx took a questioning and sympathetic look. The Unseen had apparently had a rough life to speak so darkly but it mattered little at the moment. Another Unseen rose, this time a shorter one, his reddish chitin making him easy to distinguish. He spoke quickly and with a high-pitched voice.

"Heh, I guess I'm left with little choice, eh? Luckily for you the proof was uncontestable, otherwise Kre'jess would know of you already. Anyway, as it is, I, Co'rash, will join this merry little organization and see where this leap of faith will take me."

Co'rash smiled almost frighteningly wide, his voice carrying unnaturally lighthearted tone. None of the others seemed to acknowledge this but certainly noticed his odd antics. The next attendee who rose up was a familiar one.

"I believe many of us could see that something was wrong with our leaders. Well, now we know what. The truth was darker than I thought so my allegiance is clear. Lead the way, Alt'hesh." Ke'nir spoke in a calm yet disturbed voice but clearly he had little misgivings about the organization. The night had fallen completely and the candles around the tent walls fluttered in the night wind.

A patrol could be heard outside the tent. Every qiraji waited until they walked past them and afterwards, the rather large battleguard decided to speak.

"We have hesitated long enough. The tyrants shall fall before long by our hands. I, Tilrasha, will make sure that many of the battleguards will join us. We have always been faithful to the Creator but we cannot stand treachery. Skeram will tremble before the end." Her voice was low and her eyes resonated malevolence.

" _A useful quality but against whom?"_ Alt'hesh wondered but he had no choice but to believe her. Battleguards would be a critical asset due to their ability to fly. The prophets could handle them easily though but against the gladiators they would be nearly invincible. The battleguard caste was usually confined behind the walls of Ahn'Qiraj to guard the heart of the Qiraji Empire but they were called to arms just like any other qiraji, save for the Protectors, the bodyguards of Skeram and possibly the Emperors.

Sirexx looked at the other attendees. There were only a few left who hadn't yet announced their decision. Sirexx had known his response all along but only after Ke'nir's speech could he accept it. The brown qiraji rose up, earning an asking look from Alt'hesh. The wind was rising and the candles' flames had begun to flutter heavily. The tent's walls battered slightly but it earned no attention from the qiraji. It was a norm in the windy nights of the desert.

"We've spoken much lately, Alt'hesh. You've always been brief about your plans, ever so secretive about them. I cannot blame you as now I know why you did so. I was very hesitant, not always approving of your theories. Well, the time for wondering ended with your revelation. Let's do this."

Sirexx's former uncertainty seemed to slip away as he spoke. He seemed to have finally come to terms with his decision to oppose the leaders he knew were corrupt. His eyes looked straight forward, not really seeing anything. All of his concentration was fixed to his speech and acknowledging the weight of his decision. He still wished no adventure or unnecessary danger but sometimes, he knew, there was no choice. If Ke'nir, Alt'hesh and many others had already pledged their lives to the cause, would he be able to fight against them? Would he ever forgive himself? With gestures of finality he sat down and concluded his part.

Another, rather small and yellowish, Unseen rose up. His face looked almost bored and he seemed to pay no respect to any of the other attendees or the meeting itself. When he spoke, his brief words either impressed or offended the listener.

"I am Peraxx and I'll aid you. At least I'll be able to make the culprits pay for this atrocity…"

He sounded almost indifferent but a slight flavor of anger could also be heard. It was clear that Peraxx wanted to make himself clear quickly and without unnecessary questions.

There were only two qiraji left who hadn't yet announced their decisions. Despite the monumental consequences for everyone involved, a certain kind of relief could be heard in the atmosphere of the tent. Despite the early misgivings about Alt'hesh's proposition, everyone knew they had made the right choice. Even if they had the right, no one expected the two remaining Unseen to reject joining the rebels.

A'ker was next to last to speak. Even if he was one of three inviters for the meeting, no one could blame him for waiting this long. It was an utmost gesture of respect and courage to speak at all in favor of this meeting. He looked seemingly fearful but with an effort, he managed to form the words in his mouth.

"All of you have my respects. I don't know if I would have had your courage if I hadn't known of this meeting in advance. In any case, you really don't give me a choice here. Not that I would have wanted to make it anyway. Alt'hesh… lead the way." A'ker's statement wasn't the most confident one but its content was all that mattered for now. Alt'hesh gave an approving nod and A'ker sat down again.

Only one remained silent. He was an extremely grim-looking Unseen, who every of his caste could identify as Svr'ashh who eyed the others wearily and took a deep sigh. He didn't rise up but rather sat chelae crossed when he finally begun to speak.

"You don't know what you're going to get involved into. It is not wisdom to engage in a battle you are destined to lose." He took a rather long pause, long enough for Alt'hesh to open his mouth in order to answer but he was waved off.

"But neither is just standing still and just waiting until the last vestiges of selfhood are devoured. I'll help you for now and if you actually get something done, I'll consider actually joining you. Not before." His words were arrogant beyond measure but he if anyone had the right to say that. He was one of the oldest Unseen and it was only because of his natural laziness that he wasn't leading them. He was one of the most capable of his caste but used his skills only when he had to.

A calm of relief and relative excitement but also fear and concern reigned supreme. Now that everyone had spoken their mind, the attention turned to Alt'hesh. He seemed to struggle to form the words he wanted to say but finally he was able to speak his mind. His face was illuminated by the now-calmer candles as he spoke in emotional and praising voice.

"On this day, you have made history. All of us have stated our will to risk our lives which earns my ultimate and undying respect for each of you. Together, we will prevent the terrible fate that is being forced upon us. The heroes of the War of Inception fought for the survival of our race and we will continue their work! Whereas they secured our lives, we will secure our freedom! From this moment on, we are united by ultimate comradeship, love for our race and wish to preserve what is ours! We will live and die as Sar'nexar, as Rememberers!"

Heartfelt but obviously restrained cheers erupted from the audience. Every one of their fears remained but on this dark and windy night something much more precious was born. A hope for salvation, for future and for peace. A new organization was born on this night, its members forever united by their goal, respect and brotherhood.


	23. The Dangerous Backwash

The Dangerous Backwash

 _The previous morning._

Kre'jess was furious. Someone had infiltrated his private tent, bypassed all of his guards and left it without anyone noticing. The infiltrator was extremely experienced as the prophet was able to only notice his hidden footprints in the ground. They were visible but covered enough to make it impossible to tell who had left them. The only question was why had he come here? The situation was extremely humiliating and dangerous for him as being responsible for leaked information was a terrible crime among the prophets. He tried to find the infiltrator's object but found nothing.

After a good while's search, Kre'jess stopped for a moment to think. He didn't know whether he should dismiss the nightly visitor and believe that he had found nothing of interest or to continue the search to find the object he had looked for. It was in his thoughts when his eyes met the crystalline form of his communicator. He hadn't even thought that someone would like to grub it but a terrible gut feeling rose to the prophet's mind.

 _No, it can't be! No one should know all of the ways to use the crystals!_

With trembling chelae, Kre'jess picked up the crystal which was resting in its right place, in a holder above his bookshelf. He grabbed it and begun to analyze it. Everything seemed normal, there were no signs of anything suspicious. Kre'jess was about to put the crystal back into its place when he noticed something which terrified him beyond measure.

 _It has taken a slight hit lately. It has always been perfectly smooth so it was done only hours ago! And wait… no!_

Kre'jess could sense a past conversation being refreshed and the hit could only implicate one thing: the message had been transferred into the other crystal! With trembling chelae, he leaned against the bookshelf.

 _Skeram will kill me for this! I am directly responsible for the premature leak of our plans! And… worse yet, the thief may use the conversation for his vile purposes! Even the blessing we are about to be given could be in danger!_

The smallish prophet's thoughts didn't calm down but they were directed to more concrete and constructive things than panicking. It was clear that only an Unseen could have done this. He summoned his guards inside and explained the situation. He had handpicked the gladiators to his service so there was no reason to blame them for being incapable to do their jobs.

"Needless to say, we must find the culprit quickly, before anything terrible happens! Sadly, it would be unwise to do it now. He probably expect us to attack now and is prepared for us. Act in the dark of the night and search each and every Unseen crystal! When you find the one who infiltrated my tent, destroy it and kill its owner!" Kre'jess greatly regretted the waiting but he wanted to kill the thief when he least expected it. But most importantly, greater secretiveness would increase the chance that the infiltrator's deeds would never reach Skeram's ears.

* * *

"All right, you assassin scum! Give your crystal to us right now or you'll have to come with us." A small group of gladiators stormed into Ke'nir's tent and instantly surrounded his wooden mattress. Ke'nir had fallen asleep only a few minutes prior due to his late return from the fateful meeting. He flinched awake at the command and realized right away that he had no time to be groggy.

"What? My… my crystal? Wait, it should be right there…" Ke'nir slowly rose up and under the gladiators' scrutiny searched the large bag where he held his belongings. After a moment, he found what he was looking for.

"Here it is. Wh…?" He was cut short by a murdering glare from the gladiator as he grabbed the crystal from Ke'nir's chela. He whispered something to his comrade and then the two begun to closely examine the object. They rotated it in their hands and palpated its surface.

"What is this chip? Answer!" The gladiator asked with an attacking tone. He showed the chip to Ke'nir who then tried to remember its origin. After a moment he remembered.

"Oh, yes! That was caused when I dropped it on a mission in the mountains surrounding Mulgore! I… I believe a giant hawk attacked me for some reason and I dropped it down a hill."

The gladiators didn't look happy at the account but they questioned no further. After a while the gladiator gave the crystal back to Ke'nir with an unbearable expression.

"Very well, Unseen. That's it for now." Without another word the gladiators left the tent and left a disturbed Ke'nir in their wake.

 _What the hell was that about? What could… Oh no! Alt'hesh!_

A deep fear awoke in Ke'nir for a friend he couldn't help in any way. Everything would be lost if he were caught.

 _Surely he knew this would happen! I can simply hope Alt'hesh knows what he's doing._

* * *

Alt'hesh had stayed awake since the departure of his guests, rejoicing greatly at the outcome. Since the mental anguish of the past day, he was close to falling asleep even while he stood. But there was one more thing to do today: getting rid of the proof against him. He had tried to leave no traces of his visit to Kre'jess but he couldn't trust in that premise.

As Alt'hesh grabbed the crystal, he felt regret at the fact that he would lose his greatest asset at further recruitment but the first ten recruits would have to suffice for now. To destroy all the information the crystal contained, he would have to create a huge vibration spike which would shock the entire object, overwhelming all previous lingering vibrations. The High Ambusher's antennae started to shudder greatly, and he nearly dropped the crystal to the ground but managed to grab it with his other chela.

 _Now even I cannot decipher anything from this mess! Perhaps not the smoothest way to handle things but at least they cannot blame me without evidence!_

With thoughts of excitement and high self-esteem, the High Ambusher fell asleep.

* * *

The arrival of the searching party was an extremely unnerving but expected event for Alt'hesh. He was extremely skilled at keeping his face at normal level and he was fairly confident that he was safe from any suspicion.

"High Ambusher! Why does your crystal shudder like it is going to break?"

Alt'hesh had hoped that they wouldn't be interested in that question. However, he had considered close to every possible scenario that might happen during the investigation. He seemed to ponder for a moment, as if trying to recall the answer from his memory.

"Hmmm… Oh, it was during the last battle! Things got a bit heated up during our mission, something you gladiators can never understand, and I had to give many heated commands which I guess were slightly exaggerated." Alt'hesh sounded as sincere as he could and his expression carried nothing that would reveal the lie.

The gladiators exchanged some whispers and their eyes locked into Alt'hesh's. The way their gestures changed made the Unseen very uncomfortable. Did they actually see through him?

"High Ambusher Alt'hesh, we have no evidence against you but your crystal's condition is highly suspicious. We are going to see whether you speak the truth, or rather prophet I'rass will. Move!"

The apparent leader of the gladiators moved behind Alt'hesh, in order to ensure his cooperation. The Unseen, on the other hand, felt a deep horror rise within him. Everything would be lost if I'rass, previously Alt'hesh's squad's former "employer", saw through him. His organization, Ahn'Qiraj and perhaps the entire qiraji race would be doomed. Not only that, but it would be his fault!

 _That cannot come to pass! I didn't come this far to be caught! Hopefully I can twist the truth… the prophets can read my mind but maybe I could try to distract his investigations from the important parts…_

All of the prophets' tents were in the central part of the camp, not far from Alt'hesh's. Consequently, the Unseen didn't have too much time to ponder his options. I'rass was ready to begin the investigation as he had been charged with overseeing the completion of Kre'jess' task. His yellow eyes gleamed threateningly from the back of the rather large tent. They were were surrounded by his body that looked like a sinister black form.

"Is he the infiltrator?" I'rass asked pithily. His eyes penetrated Alt'hesh as he already begun to investigate the Unseen.

"We don't know for sure yet. We have no evidence but his crystal's messages have been completely overshadowed by an extremely powerful dose of vibration. We found it highly suspicious." The gladiator leader answered.

I'rass squinted as he looked at the gladiator but he slowly turned his gaze at Alt'hesh. His gestures indicated no malice nor premature judgement.

"There's no reason to question you now, Alt'hesh. Your mind's content will tell me everything I need to know."

The only sign of Alt'hesh's anxiety was a gulp as he shifted his gaze to meet I'rass'. Now was the moment of truth: should he be able to manipulate I'rass' search, he might be able to survive. If not, he would probably die here and his new comrades would be hunted down one by one. Staring into the prophet's yellow eyes was like waiting your death in a pit of despair and the worst nemesis of your life was judging you for crimes you didn't commit.

Suddenly Alt'hesh felt it: the overwhelming magical might of a prophet pulling your consciousness out from your skull. Usually the victim would have no chance of resisting but certain higher-ranking qiraji were able to retain a modicum of control of his mind. The prophets knew of this of course, but they dismissed it because the prophet was in any case the dominant force in the victim's mind. The victim's struggle was usually useless: the important facts would be found out anyway.

Alt'hesh felt like a nightmarish wind was blowing his selfhood into oblivion but he managed to weather it by anchoring himself to an overwhelmingly happy memory: the day one of his friends who was thought to be dead returned to the camp wounded but alive. They both had lived many years after that but his friend had met his end not too long ago.

After I'rass' spell had been finished, he felt like he was witnessing his own dream, seemingly unable to influence I'rass' search for his answers. During his rather long life, he had heard that the prophet could investigate only search for one answer at a time. If the victim knew what the prophet was doing, the victim could try to manipulate that particular answer, not to truly lie but to hide some part of it.

I'rass moved straight to the point. He asked Alt'hesh's empty husk of a brain if it had betrayed Ahn'Qiraj. In a way he had, but on the other hand his organization's aim was to preserve the selfhood of the qiraji, not to destroy Ahn'Qiraj. So with a great effort, he managed to answer the prophet's question with a half-truth.

 _Do you know anything about the infiltration of Kre'jess' tent or the theft of the top-secret information?_

 _Nothing of interest the gladiators haven't told me._

Also partly true as he had heard quite a good deal about his nightly infiltration from his captors. Of course, he knew all the details the others didn't but then again, the question was strictly about the overall situation.

 _You don't know what interests me. Tell me everything._

Alt'hesh would have grinned had his own body been his to command. He would tell complete gut feelings any Unseen could tell and I'rass would command him to stop before long.

 _Considering that the infiltration happened so easily, I have to assume that the guards did a terrible job. Also, Kre'jess didn't hide his crystal well enough: if anyone can enter the tent, search the crystal and then steal it, something was very wrong._

Alt'hesh played ignorant about the events in order to prove that he was innocent.

 _True, the gladiators don't know how to spot an Unseen but in any case they didn't do their jobs well…_

I'rass' expression turned into that of agitation but he couldn't really punish Alt'hesh. He couldn't tell if the High Ambusher had resisted his spell but in any case he didn't seem to know anything.

 _Stop rambling, Alt'hesh! I guess it's my fault for pressing the issue. Well, then tell me what happened to your crystal._

Alt'hesh would have to come up with a new explanation as the one he gave the gladiators had been a complete lie. However, the real reason was a rather believable one if I'rass didn't know the context.

 _It carried a rather bad memory of a fight I was in earlier that day with an acquaintance of mine. I wanted to avoid hearing his voice from the crystal for a while._

I'rass couldn't say he was fully satisfied with the answers but it seemed there was no reason to believe that Alt'hesh was guilty. The answers were rather logical and easy to believe. After a moment I'rass ended his ended his spell. Alt'hesh collapsed to the ground from sheer relief that the interrogation was over. Now was the time to hear whether the prophet had bought his story.

"Alt'hesh, I believe I've heard enough. You seem to have no link to the infiltrator, even if you seem to have theories about the accident. You're free to go but remember two things: speak to no one about today. Also, we may call you back if we find something suspicious. Serve the Creator well, Unseen."

Alt'hesh was relieved beyond words about this revelation. He had managed to dissuade the interrogator from his true intentions. Indeed, he could be content with himself for today.

"Thank you, I'rass. I will as I am sure all of us do." With these words, Alt'hesh turned around and left the tent without any guards. He may be under surveillance from now on but he'd make sure they wouldn't get a reason to get rid of him, not for now.

* * *

 _Hopefully all the others are all right… especially Ke'nir. I cannot rush everywhere to check for people I shouldn't even know…_ _I'll just have to put my trust in them and wait for orders._

Sirexx had survived the nightly raid rather easily but he couldn't help but be worried about his new comrades. They had to be safe: the fate simply couldn't make such a bad joke as to let them create such an organization just to let its members be arrested mere hours from its founding.

And yet… it was a possibility. As Sirexx exited his tent, he immediately begun to investigate his surroundings. The morning seemed quite normal: there weren't any kind of special supervision and none of the qiraji he saw seemed to be anxious in any way.

 _At least our organization hasn't been discovered yet. In that case all of us would be burning as pyres in front of Kre'jess' tent. A good sign._

As Sirexx begun to go towards the training grounds, he saw a now-familiar form emerge from one of the tents. Co'rash, the ominous and somewhat mocking Unseen who was now his comrade in the Sar'nexar.

"Co'rash! I trust you had a similar visit in the night as me?" Sirexx lowered his voice to slightly lower than normal. Co'rash's face bore an amused look which contained a somewhat apologizing substance to it.

"Yes, indeed! Alt'hesh likely had a hard night but then again, we haven't seen an Unseen fire yet, have we?" Co'rash sounded unsympathetic and nothing in his attitude communicated concern.

"Of course but… how about the others? They might have been disposed of silently…"

"No, most likely no. Why would they be caught if we haven't? No reason to worry about things that likely aren't true. That way we'd be always worrying about the sky falling upon us!"

Sirexx looked oddly at Co'rash. How could he be this optimistic? The brown qiraji couldn't say that he was wrong but he couldn't adopt his way of looking at things. He tried to bring the smaller qiraji down from his pipe dream.

"Worry for yourself if not for the others! You are in the same boat now!"

"I already survived and most likely so did all the others! In any case, I'm not the one in danger! If the others are disposed of today, we would have no chance whatsoever!" Co'rash's smile was wide and it irritated Sirexx greatly. This moron clearly didn't realize what was at stake! He was just about to escalate the argument when two silithid wasps descended between the two Unseen. Each of them carried a small piece of paper, which they offered to the two qiraji.

 _Why? We hardly ever write any orders because of our antennae! What in the…_

Sirexx took the paper hesitantly and read the short text slowly. Co'rash, on the other hand, almost grabbed his paper and his interest was clear on his face. It was clear that both of the orders were from Alt'hesh.

 _Sar'nexar, it seems I am under the eyes of the prophets. Kre'jess clearly fears for his life as Skeram will kill him_ _if the prophet learns about my escapade. I ask you to spread rumors about the incident. Rumors are the most effective way to spread any kind of information. If we succeed, the leading prophet's execution will spark rather big questions among our comrades._

The message had no names for obvious reasons but it was clear it was from Alt'hesh: no one but their new comrades knew about their organization's name. The two Unseen took glances at each other and affirmed that their tasks were similar. Co'rash's smile had somewhat died but he was still confident about his situation. Discrediting Kre'jess was their first task but it had to be done very subtly. If the rumors could be tracked down to them, speaking themselves out from that situation would take much more than a miracle.


	24. The Deadly Rumor

**The Deadly Rumor**

The noon was slowly approaching and the early training sessions were completed. It was time for the first meal of the day. It was a moment that few looked forward to but for Sirexx it brought an opportunity. Now was the time to pass on the word of Kre'jess' disaster "accidentally". Sirexx truly didn't want to assist in his end as he greatly respected the prophet. His advice and leadership had saved the qiraji in the war and before. But on the other hand, his death would greatly help the cause of the Sar'nexar. The meals were served in small metallic pots. They usually consisted of soups of various kinds: the contents ranged from Un'goro fruits to scorpid meat. Sirexx knew Ke'nir would be there if he had survived the night. He couldn't complete his task with Co'rash: they had first met last night and it would have sparked suspicions if he had just "happened" to tell these things to someone who was supposed to be a near-complete stranger. Every Unseen had most probably received the same visit so making the others listen shouldn't be too hard.

"I fear our commander will be in a trouble. One should not simply be that sloppy." Sirexx spoke in a seemingly excited voice.

"You mean Kre'jess? What has happened?" Ke'nir asked in fake ignorance. They had to act as if they were passing on the "rumor" from someone else. With luck, they might receive someone's attention. Sirexx slightly lowered his voice as he spoke in order "not to pass on the secret information" even if his voice was still audible enough.

"You haven't heard? Someone stole information from Kre'jess! I don't know what but if we were all checked, it had to be something important!"

"What would be that important? Don't they trust us? It's not like there's a trai…"

"Where have you heard all this!? Tell me!" Ke'nir was interrupted by a large gladiator who bore an inquisitive and suspicious look. The two Unseen were happy to have caught someone's attention but they had to satisfy the gladiator's curiosity in order to profit from it.

"Why? It's common knowledge here, really. I've heard it from many qiraji already. I don't really know whether it's true but that's what I've heard anyway." Sirexx turned to the newcomer and told his version of the story in a casual manner. The gladiator seemed confused at the revelation.

"I've never heard of such a thing! And who would have spread such information in the first place? It's not like anyone involved would want to swagger with his part in such a desecration!" The gladiator asked, his large jaws gaping menacingly.

"I don't know! Perhaps one of Kre'jess' guards let something slip by accident, perhaps the thief wanted to swagger. In any case, I tend to believe the rumors. Of course you don't know but every one of us Unseen was checked last night in case of evidence of possible participation in the theft. The rumor fits the picture perfectly." Sirexx brought up the search in order to "prove" they were innocent of any kind of cooperation with the fiend. The gladiator looked stunned and disturbed.

"So what! Even if Kre'jess made some kind of mistake, we cannot blackmail him by spreading lies about him!" Another gladiator who had stood nearby joined the conversation. His tone was far more offensive than the other's.

"I guess you're right but… how could we hurt him by talking about possibly incorrect rumors? He's our leader after all. He's most likely innocent but we're just telling the story we were told! There have been few new subjects since the Anubisath battle, so why not speculate about the few things we can?" Sirexx answered in apparent hesitation. The firstly-arrived qiraji clearly hesitated about the situation but the other one didn't.

"Because we should help one another! We cannot afford to undermine our superiors! Kre'jess has enough to do as it is, he has no use for baseless rumors and neither do we!" The gladiator's voice begun to rise to unnecessary heights. Sirexx and Ke'nir decided that their message was delivered: now they would have to get away from the conversation without conflict. With a fake sigh, Ke'nir answered the gladiator.

"I guess your right… Indeed we shouldn't try to cause anyone troubles just because of our boredom. But in any case, the rumor was interesting, I have no proof about its authenticity. Make what you wish out of it."

Both of the gladiators left without another word, the first-arrived in deep thought whereas the one who arrived later was agitated.

"At least someone listened. With any luck, at least the other one will pass on the word. In any case, I wouldn't want to be Kre'jess right now." Ke'nir whispered to Sirexx who simply nodded to his friend's remark. The plan was moving forward nicely.

* * *

Sa'rol was reviewing the plans he had been provided by Kre'jess a day earlier. He smiled widely at them as he couldn't believe his luck. To be able to become one with the Creator was far greater goal than any prophet could ask for. Surely with such a divine force controlling them, crushing the elves would become a mere formality. His chuckling, however, was interrupted by an interesting conversation from outside his camp.

"The nightly raid was a complete mystery. Why would they do that?"

 _What nightly raid? Were we attacked?_

Sa'rol wasn't informed of the nightly episode and he continued to listen. The voice was that of an Unseen's and he clearly didn't expect the incoming answer. When it came, even Sa'rol was surprised by it.

"I'm not sure but I've heard rumors that it had something to do with Kre'jess. Apparently something of value was stolen…"

At this point the voices became too distant for Sa'rol to hear. However, he had heard enough for it to awaken his curiosity.

 _Kre'jess screwed up? Hmm… That is not something we can afford right now. Perhaps Skeram would deserve to know…_

Sa'rol woke himself up from his thoughts. No, he wouldn't doom his comrade because of some speculation from strangers or sheer paranoia. No, he would have to question the poor fool first and see if he's still worthy of leading the prophets at this critical time. The most glorious of eras was upon them and Sa'rol would never let one incompetent leader to deny its arrival.

* * *

"Where did you hear this nonsense? Nothing has been stolen from me and there's nothing wrong."

Sa'rol looked pityingly at his acting superior. He was clearly distressed even if he managed to hide it fairly well. He would reveal his secret soon enough.

"Well, in any case I heard that there was some kind of nightly operation I was never informed about. I thought that we prophets were supposed to trust in one another, no?" Sa'rol enjoyed following Kre'jess' face turning into a mask of fear in a matter of seconds. He knew he couldn't talk Sa'rol out of this conversation. Additionally, Sa'rol wouldn't go down without a fight. If his mistake wouldn't doom him, a murder would.

"It wasn't important enough to keep every prophet awake the whole night! In any case, the unfortunate episode has been already handled!"

Sa'rol took a more inquisitive expression, knowing Kre'jess was cornered. He would pay the price soon enough.

"For one of your position you're a terrible liar, Kre'jess. You've just confirmed the rumors I heard."

Kre'jess was close to panicking. From now on, his only chance was to beg Sa'rol have mercy on him.

"Everything will be alright, the thief won't get away from this! I promise you, our secrets are safe and no new attempts at stealing them will su…"

"Listen to me, Kre'jess! Have you any idea what you've done? Not every one of our subordinates agree with our plan! You've just given them a valid reason to rally against us! I wouldn't probably mind if this was a normal plan but this is the culmination of our entire history! And you endanger it because of your carelessness! We have no use for that kind of leaders."

Sa'rol turned towards the door and prepared to exit. Just as he was raising the door, he could hear a voice beginning to form in Kre'jess' throat. Sa'rol would have none of it: the leading prophet didn't deserve to be heard. With a swift remark, he said the final word.

"I respected you once, Kre'jess, but anyone who doesn't understand our current situation is worthless. Skeram will know of your failure."

* * *

Alt'hesh was confident in the first step of his plan but he knew its impact would be limited if he lingered on too long after Kre'jess' likely death. He would have to spread the word of the Sar'nexar to the other qiraji but how? He knew many of them would willingly give up themselves to the Creator and trying to sort them out from the more reluctant ones would be far too risky. There was only one chance: an undisputable show of strength, achievable only in one way.

 _My comrades won't like this but… We have no other choice. We have to try to make a ceasefire with the elves and prove that they're truly not our enemy. If we can assure that to our comrades, we might be able to make them believe in our cause. But… if things go badly, we will be branded as traitors and trust in the prophets will become unchallengeable!_

It was a risky plan which risked his group's total alienation from their own people. But should the plan work, he would be able to cause a serious split in the qiraji ranks and take the fight to the prophets. With the elves' help, the rebelling qiraji would have a genuine chance of overthrowing Skeram and his henchmen.

The prophets' ritual would be in a matter of days. As much as he wanted, Alt'hesh would have no real chance of stopping it. What mattered was what would happen after it?

 _Probably some kind of a surprise attack with their new powers? The elves would probably be overpowered in an hour! Perhaps that would be a good time to approach them?_

Alt'hesh trusted his own judgement greatly but he certainly couldn't make a flawless plan. Also, his comrades wouldn't follow him for long if he made all their plans in secret. He would have to ask their opinion about the alliance with the elves. He summoned a few wasps and begun to write the messages. An ordinary dictation would be too risky as the wasp would remember the message for a long time whereas his comrades would destroy the message written on paper after it was read.

* * *

Not long after the noon, the qiraji were given some time to rest and prepare for the evening training session. They weren't too long but Sirexx would treasured any short reprieve from the tiring sparring. He and Ke'nir would grant each other a moment of peace which Sirexx used by following one of his passions, reading. He had awfully little time for that in the camp but Sirexx spared as much time for it as possible.

The book was a comedic one, grabbing him from the harsh reality for moments of relief. It was a tale of a rather slow gladiator who was kidnapped by the Sandfury trolls to act as their demigod. In the past, seeing a qiraji was extremely rare for an outsider and the trolls' leader wasn't the pickiest fellow when talking about ways to improve his position in the tribe.

Sirexx chuckled slightly every now and then, the author's quite unforgiving portrayal of the troll society and the occasionally melodramatic dialogue created a hilarious yet thought-provoking story. Most qiraji literature was either religious texts or serious analyses of different subjects. Sirexx usually read either tales of unknown lands or thoughts about the reality of the world. Here, among death and suffering however, he preferred something more lighthearted, to give him something to think which wasn't a matter of life and death.

Just as Sirexx was about to close the book and head for the training field, the tent's door opened and a very familiar form entered the tent. A silithid wasp carrying once again a message to him. Sirexx didn't know what to expect and he opened the letter with rather trembling chelae. As he read the letter, his breathing intensified and his eyes seemed to grow in size.

 _The night elves are the key to our victory?! If anything, we'll be loathed outcasts with this plan!_

As he finished the message, he was left staring emptily forward. Alt'hesh's message seemed to make no sense and he seemed to have no idea how to get more recruits.

 _Can I blame him? This plan is terrible but… what else can we do?_

Sirexx's mind worked on overdrive as he tried to answer his own questions. After a while, he hesitantly had to agree that this "terrible" plan was the best bet they had. He begun to write his answer on the other side of the paper and gave it back to the wasp. He would have to trust in Alt'hesh's idea and his own judgement. When he was close to finishing the letter, he could hear the great bell in the center of the camp banging twice. It meant that the prophets had an important announcement which required every fighter's presence.

 _This can't be good… I just hope the brainwashing sessions aren't about to begin just yet…_

The central "square" was located close to Kre'jess' domain and on its sides were dotted with tents of prophets, generals and leading gladiators and Unseen. It was in the complete center of the camp and its location was known to every denizen of the sprawling qiraji complex.

The first thing Sirexx saw of the site when he arrived was that there were hundreds of qiraji already but in the middle of them all he could see two prophets, who he couldn't recognize, standing on both sides of Kre'jess himself.

 _So a strategy info then… let's hear it out._

The atmosphere of the meeting was somewhat calm. Some were interested in hearing what the prophets had to say, some were less enthusiastic. But when the prophet on the right side of Kre'jess begun to spoke, no qiraji was left unsurprised.

"The brave and loyal defenders of Ahn'Qiraj! Be proud of it as every one of you have without a doubt earned it and all the respect that comes with your heroic deeds. But, that is not the end of the story."

At this point the prophet's voice turned from a praising tone into a menacing one. It was clear that there would be some kind of a demonstration.

"Prophet Kre'jess has proven his abilities and utmost devotion to Ahn'Qiraj innumerable times in the past. His every past deed has driven him into his current position as our temporary leader. He is one of the greatest champions the qiraji race has ever seen."

Sirexx's expression darkened. With a speech like this it was clear that Kre'jess would meet his end here, today. Yes, it signaled the success of the first task of the Sar'nexar but to suffer a public execution, the ultimate disgrace… Sirexx wasn't sure whether that was the right thing from the prophets' part.

"But never forget that a qiraji's life is a road of struggles and challenges. Even if you approach the end and stand as the chosen avatar of the Creator's will, every day will still be a new test. The Creator will judge us all according to our deeds but there's no way to secure your position until you take your last breath. That is what Kre'jess didn't learn until it was too late for him."

The poor prophet took a few steps forward, his face being a terrifying mask of horror and shame. His expression worried some of the listeners as Kre'jess had been a highly respected leader. The prophet on his left side was the next one to speak.

"Our time is the most sacred one of all, it is our deeds that will decide the future. Kre'jess' crime could have been forgiven had this been a normal era. But we are entering the era of perfection, the era of divine rule in our world. Kre'jess accidentally leaked our information of utmost importance which could be used by our enemies against us, should they receive them. It is with great regret that I announce the Great Prophet's decision which is Kre'jess' immediate execution."

Nearly everyone attending had already expected such an outcome but it was still a great shock to the listeners. Without a doubt the next acting leader had already been chosen so concrete problems coming with the execution would be minimized. Everyone feared for the coming execution as the public ones were seen more like warnings than actual punishments. Kre'jess' death wouldn't be swift nor easy.

"Prophet Kre'jess, I dearly hope you understand your mistake. Your time with us is about to end but perhaps the Creator will see your heart's content differently than us. Perhaps deep down, you are something more than any of us or even yourself suspects. Only the Creator knows and it is He who you can try to reconcile your deeds with. You were our champion not too long ago and we would want to remember you as such. I will give you a chance to speak your last words."

Kre'jess struggled to make a brave face and his voice trembled with regret as he spoke. His spirit was clearly broken even if his body hadn't received any kind of torture.

"I can only apologize for my failure even if I'll get no chance to redeem myself. I would have done and given everything for just one last, desperate chance to make things right… but I have to abide by the Exalted Prophet's decision. I just regret it has to end like this: loathed and hated in front of my people. May fate be kinder to all of you than it was for me." Kre'jess was inconsolable and many of the attendees, even if they understood his crime, felt sorry for him. There was no way the always wise, always caring leader deserved this kind of death.

"Very well, Kre'jess. Now it is time for you to join the Sleeper in His eternal dreams. I truly hope they will be pleasant for you." These were the last intelligible words Kre'jess ever heard. The prophet on his left side moved his chela to his neck from which hanged a sizeable emerald. He begun to jingle the jewel and soon the ground itself seemed to rise up. Hundreds if not thousands of scarabs rose from the earth, immediately beginning to cover the poor prophet in a swarm of insects. Much to Kre'jess' relief, his punishment was merely limited to this life as opposed to destroying the souls of those deemed too lowly or evil to be judged by the Creator himself. At least he would have a chance to meet his god and to beg for His understanding. The scarabs were holy creatures to the qiraji for reasons lost to time and death as their meal was an honorable yet horrifying one. Every major qiraji building had carried a symbol of a scarab since time immemorial.

But the meeting with Creator would happen only after he was but a pile of half-eaten bones on the ground. He tried to ignore the coming minute until the insects penetrated his chitin armor. It wouldn't save him from the jaws of the swarming insects, if anything it'd only prolong his suffering. He wanted to appear as brave and powerful as possible but he knew it was only a matter of time until the pain intensified enough for him to break down completely. As the final gesture of devoutness and loyalty, he begun to chant traditional verses of the Creator's love.

"As He has given us everything we have, it is only right for us, to remember his undying love. Was your birth your own doing? Is your mind your own doing? Only the Creator's love and wisdom allowed these things to even become a reality. We cannot even begin to fathom his unbelievable gifts which means we cannot even begin to repay our debt. The only thing we can do is to show our reverence and complete his only task. But just as importantly, each of us has to prove that our lives were worth creating, that we can…"

Kre'jess' speech was intermittent and slow which resulted in the premature end of the holy words. The last words were close to screaming as the scarabs begun to swallow the prophet's face. At this point his words drowned in the horrifying screams which were a testament to his dismal end. Sirexx didn't want to watch the end and turned his gaze from the collapsing scarab pillar which had once been one of the wisest and greatest leaders he had ever known. Near the edge of his vision, he could see Ra'jol grinning and clearly enjoying the show. The sight of him filled him with bitter fear as Sirexx greatly feared the inevitable confrontation between himself and his other two teammates.


	25. Colors Above Ahn'Qiraj

**Colors Above Ahn'Qiraj**

 _Five days after Kre'jess' downfall..._

The many fluttery lanterns illuminated the courtyard in front of the entrance to the great temple of Ahn'Qiraj. The wind was powerful and it was almost a full-fletched storm. Despite that, Skeram was almost beyond all reason because of the ecstasy of finally seeing this day come true. All the preparations were made: this would be the day when the prophets embraced the full love of the Creator. Skeram's smile was wide and it carried a maniacal quality to it. It was clear that today was the day he and every one of his colleagues had waited all their lives. There would be little time for speeches as every one of the prophets knew why they were here.

"I can't believe it myself… My dream of three thousand years is coming true and even if you haven't lived as long as I have, I know each of us feels the same glory! Reflect the sweetness of this day in your minds for your own hearts can honor this moment than even I."

The lower-ranked prophets were anxious to begin the ritual but on the other hand, they knew this would be the crowning moment of their lives and they would have to enjoy it with their every bit. Each of the prophets reflected on tonight in their own way. One would dream of the coming power, other about a total communion with the Creator and the third about the soon-to-come paradise. Skeram and his subordinates were silent for a few minutes until the Prophet's roaring voice shattered every dream his listeners may have had.

"The blessed Creator, our guide and fortress, our god and pride! We have heard your offer and each of us has accepted this gift! Now, as we help your power grow, let us pledge ourselves to your service! Give us the chance to work as your tools, your limbs and your weapons! We ask you, grant us your divine blessing!" Skeram roared the last few words and he unleashed breathtaking spectra of colors, ranging from dark green to blue to black. They seemed to flow into the depths of the temple itself, as if intentionally sinking into its deeps, towards an unknown but yet an important prize.

All of the other prophets joined Skeram in feeding the awesome palette of colors which was flowing into the depths of the immense building. They continued for a long while, some of them even beginning to fear that their request had been denied altogether. The First Prophet's adamant expression, however, gave them courage enough to carry on. The denizens of the surrounding city had no idea what was going on the hill in the middle of their city. As far as they could tell, the mad flying colors could have been just another attempt by the prophets to create new spells. Nevertheless, they would know soon enough.

Skeram himself was near to oblivious about the way how the ritual should be performed. The Creator had only told him and the prophets to "call to Him" and wait for an answer. He didn't hesitate for a moment while casting the spell but he had to wonder how the blessing was going to be granted upon them. That was until he suddenly heard a cold yet comforting voice calling him from below the courtyard.

 _My servant, you've served me well. I have heard your plea: your spell will grant you my will._

Immediately afterwards, the same voice rang in the mind of every attending prophet. The voice sounded completely alien to the prophets but each of them could feel whose voice it was. Its mere force and the unnatural essence of it: there was no mistaking the Creator's glory with anything else.

 _All of you will serve me well until the end of your days… your minds will join mine… your fates are sealed._

The mere shock of being addressed by the Creator himself was almost enough for the prophets to accidentally end their spells but, as if by instinct, they continued the communion with the great being within the temple. Many of them were taken aback by their own ability to continue feeding the dark energy. Some of the prophets turned to see how Skeram was doing. The leading prophet's gaze was completely empty: it was as if he was mentally totally absent. His mouth formed no words but it seemed to chant voicelessly.

 _The apex of this ritual is approaching… I have to prepare for the coming wonders…_

Each of the prophets thought at first that this was only their own minds wandering the endless depths of their own ecstasy-drunk dreams. Shortly after they realized, however, that it was the Creator's voice talking from their own heads, aligning himself with their thoughts. This realization troubled some of the prophets but each of them knew there was no turning back anymore. Any kind of backing down would most likely result in the turncoat's end before long.

 _The ultimate glory is mine… I have to do everything to defend what is mine… Everyone wishes to rob my mind, my power. They must be taken care of… The Creator demands their deaths… I will do it for Him… I will free the Sleeper._

The first sentences were spoken in a cold, emotionless tone which chilled everyone who heard it to the bone. Once again the indescribable urge saved the continuation of the ritual but as the "thoughts" progressed, they increasingly resembled their own voices. Likewise, trying to divert one's attention from the voice soon became impossible, it was as if the voice was absorbing their ability to think independently.

Some of the prophets were close to panicking, the sensation of the Creator's embrace becoming too overwhelming, as if they were not ready to accept this final blessing. It brought intense shame upon the qiraji who had dreamt of this legendary moment all their lives.

 _Oh, no no…! This is madness, I can't… What am I afraid of? It's too late now: the Creator's glory is all that matters! These doubts are truly my only threat. Extinguish them._

Even if the last sentence was a command, it sounded completely like the prophet's own thought. There was no way to tell which thought was his own and what was Creator's. Even his own emotions were becoming a total fuss: where he had previously felt fear, it was now accompanied by feelings of shame and determination. The sensation was beyond ghastly and frightening but for some reason it no longer bothered him. As if the very courtyard he was standing on was drifting away, like your own dream which was cast away by a call from your friend.

Until a violent hit struck him to the ground but even that felt like it was of no importance. He was slowly falling asleep even if his body was resolutely continuing the ritual. He saw nothing in his trance until a giant form appeared in the center of the ring of the prophets. A massive, brown, floating eye formed in the middle of the assembled qiraji, its presence silencing the scene completely. It became clear for everyone that they were standing before a god.

The whirlwinds of light intensified by the minute, its sight beginning to resemble an insane storm of colors, its violent nature beginning to resemble some kind of otherworldly hallucination from one's sickly nightmares. They could be seen from many kilometers to every direction even if their source would remain a mystery. At their ultimate zenith, however, the energies suddenly swirled towards the ground, finding their own ways to the prophets whose minds were close to absent.

 _That is my new self, my only master. You will be rewarded but your enemies will die in this world and the next. Now, rise! Regain your senses as my image!_

The courtyard returned to nearly normal as soon as the energies hit the ground. Suddenly the prophet awoke from his trance with a gasp, everything feeling just like it had been before. The eye was gone and the other prophets were panting heavily, apparently exhausted but alive. Immediately he begun to fear that the ritual had failed in some way. His colleagues also seemed to awake from their mental absence.

But before long, he could feel his thoughts beginning to manifest themselves in ways they hadn't before. Whereas he had before worried about his career, comrades and serving the Creator, now his thoughts took a more direct approach. Thoughts of crushing the elves, crushing their limbs one by one… Subduing all of Kalimdor under Ahn'Qiraj and enslaving its denizens under his command. Not only that but he would also enjoy hearing their screams, their bones snapping and their brains tearing under his spells.

These thoughts were completely alien to the prophet who immediately wanted to panic inside. What scared him even more, however, was the realization that they without a doubt were his own thoughts and because of that he knew he had no way to fight them. Or, as he knew, they were the Creator's commands but they had become one with his experience of the world around and inside him. For better or worse, his mind was no longer his to command.

Finally Skeram regained his senses and his gestures or voice communicated no change in his behavior. However, his words confirmed the change in his plans.

"It is done! Each of us carries the Creator's will and power with us! Even now I can hear His glorious voice speaking to me! We have fulfilled every qiraji's dream, we are now part of the Creator as he's now part of us! The battleguards will be the next ones to be blessed like us but now it is up to us to prove we were worthy of this charge."

Skeram took a short pause as if to observe how his subordinates were coping with their new mental state. When he spoke again, his voice was considerably louder and determined than ever before.

"To Southwind! The elves will be driven from Silithus on this day! For the Creator!"

* * *

"Our numbers are barely twenty. I just don't know if that's enough…. our time is almost up!" Alt'hesh spoke softly to Ke'nir who had just entered his tent to check if the leader of the Sar'nexar had anything new to report. Alt'hesh wasn't despairing over the situation but he was clearly concerned about the situation.

"But simply expanding our organization wasn't the plan. Nearly all of our hopes are pinned on one show of power and preparing for it was supposed to difficult. And I wouldn't say we've wasted the past days." Ke'nir offered half-carefully as he wasn't sure how convinced Alt'hesh would be. The past days had been rough as their low-scale missions had done little to no harm to the prophets and it was becoming increasingly difficult to avoid suspicion.

"Kre'jess' death changed nothing. If anything, they have been even more zealous in trying to hunt us down. It has been a hard time to even try to cut the prophets' communications and sabotage their trinkets. Thus far we've managed to hide but who knows when we'll run out of luck. I almost hope the war resumes soon as we have nothing of great value to do here." Alt'hesh sounded a bit frustrated but still he hadn't lost his optimism.

"Uvesh learned of that first hand. It was pure luck that he wasn't disposed of immediately…" Ke'nir referred to an accident two days prior when Uvesh had been caught eavesdropping near Sa'rol's tent but the gladiators had believed his fib but that wouldn't probably work again.

"If only Khar'sis listens to us… Should he be willing to end the war, we can be successful. If not… then we'll think about it later."

Ke'nir was about to answer when he felt a strange-feeling gust of wind entering the tent. Usually they wouldn't distract him not even for a moment but this one felt different. It felt similar to the magic he had felt during the battle at the gorge in Tanaris, only a few weeks ago. Judging by the expression, Alt'hesh had noticed it too. Both them had a chilling idea what was going to happen in these same moments.

"So it really happens… I can't help but feel sorry for the prophets. It's like a suicide from their part."

Ke'nir muttered while shaking his head. Even in the middle of the sea of tents, they could see the sky to their south painting itself in chilling dark and flashing clouds of unnatural energy.

"This is it. From now on we must succeed as there's no way for the prophets to regain themselves from this. They're gone." Alt'hesh whispered to Ke'nir who looked like he would be willing to cry from the mere fear of the transpiring event. The air seemed to become increasingly cold by the minute. All the while the colors grew more pronounced and swallowed up more of the calm night sky.

"Now we truly are on our own." Ke'nir affirmed while looking at the unfolding show of magic. He shuddered at the thought of what was happening in Ahn'Qiraj right now but even more because of the knowledge what this meant. The prophets would now on hunt down each qiraji down who they even suspected of disapproving them. What's more, Alt'hesh had suggested that this might be the moment the prophets had been waiting for to launch the final offensive.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the apparent explosion of the concentrated magic and unnatural "raining" of the dark power down from the sky. The city was tens of kilometers away from the camp but the event could be seen very clearly from among the tents. The spectra of colors reflected from Ke'nir's eyes, making his face look even more fearful but more confident about the future.

Alt'hesh's mind was more focused on the implications of the ongoing ritual. He had tried to create as airtight plan with his comrades as he could but he couldn't be completely at ease. Apart from his spoken motives, he wanted to be remembered as one of the saviors of Ahn'Qiraj. If he died in the next few days in battle or at the prophets' feet, he would be remembered at best as the fool that had led the comrades who believed in him to their deaths. In the worst scenario, he would become the antithesis of what a qiraji should be.

As the sky begun to clear and the natural darkness of the night settled in once again, both of the Unseen stood silently for a moment. After a few minutes, Alt'hesh broke the silence.

"Get some sleep, Ke'nir. It might be your last chance for a while." Alt'hesh spoke in a monotonic voice, clearly impressed and scared by the new development. Ke'nir's voice trembled as he spoke and he watched forward with vacant eyes.

"I will, Alt'hesh. We might never again get another chance." Without a word of farewell, Ke'nir turned on his heels and left for his tent. Alt'hesh knew Ke'nir was right: if his own analyses were correct, there would be a great battle tomorrow. Indeed, the following day would bring with it events that would determine the outcome of the war and the qiraji race.


	26. Battle for Southwind

**Battle for Southwind: Ambitions and Failures**

It was very unusual for Silithus that the dawning morning brought thick mist along with it. It was hard to see even one's own chelae, let alone any kind of vision of one's surroundings. If it weren't for their ability to commune with the desert itself, Skeram or his prophets would have had no chance of finding the qiraji war camp. Even then, the journey was greatly delayed by the constant searching for the right way. The travelling was completely silent as the new voice in their minds would permit no unnecessary rambling, at least for now. The pea soup fog's color was slowly changing from complete black to a dark grey when the faint silhouettes of the first tents came to Skeram's sight. He wasted no time in calling the fighters to arms.

The loud ringing of the bell could once again be heard across the seas of tents. It took only a few moments until gladiators, battleguards and Unseen begun to pour around the bell. Most were surprised and honored to see the First Prophet himself being the one who had called this meeting. But on the other hand, they knew that this probably meant that all preparations for the war's endgame had been completed. When Skeram spoke, his voice was much more cordial yet demanding than usually.

"My friends, I announce a great blessing for all the qiraji. We, the prophets, have been blessed with a peace of the Creator's mind, granting us His wisdom and powers! In a way, you're hearing his glorious words speaking with my voice!" Internally Skeram smiled widely as he shifted his gaze from a dazzled face to another. He would have liked to enjoy the moment longer but the voice in his consciousness begun to speak once again.

"Each of you will receive the same blessing in time but the Creator wishes us to prove our worth to Him with our deeds! Yes, it is time for the cancer of Southwind village to be wiped from the face of our sacred land! We will make sure the damned, insufferable elves will suffer this punishment for all eternity! All of you will storm the village with the Anubisath and silithid from the main entrance. I will lead the prophets to their rear, crushing their ranks from behind."

The silent excitement among the crowd was tangible. So this was it: the final blessing and victory was upon them all. There were very few qiraji present who weren't painting glorious pictures of power and happiness in their minds at this moments. Skeram's presence and confidence was enough to prove his point: this was the day they had waited for all their lives.

"The time is short. Victory descends upon us! Go take your weapons, gather your groups! In less than an hour, Southwind village will be but a wound in the pride of our memories!"

With Skeram's last declaration, the gathering was close to descending to total chaos, many gladiators falling to the ground. Some could rise up quickly, some were more seriously wounded and a few unfortunate ones were stomped to death. Such was the ecstasy of the qiraji that they wouldn't let even their friends to delay their moment of final victory. It was mere moments until the fully equipped qiraji begun to flood towards the eastern edge of the camp.

* * *

Sirexx's arms trembled as he made the final preparations for his almost instantly killing toxins. His daggers and equipment were as ready as they would be but the poisons tended to get musty unpleasingly fast. His mind wandered in the many schemes he and his comrades had prepared for this day. Initially the mere success of the plan had been in his mind but another issue had recently begun to increasingly trouble him. The moment of truth with Ra'jol and Danoxx was quickly approaching. How could he face them knowing that he would almost certainly end as their enemy? Had it been right to hide his true allegiances this long? Would they loathe him for the rest of their lives because of this day?

As the liquid's color begun to normalize, Sirexx closed the bottle stopper and hanged them to his belt-like rack. With a deep heart he raised the doors of his tent, fully aware that this would more than likely the last reprieve he would get, possibly in all his life. Worse than that, he truly feared his two comrades' reaction to his inevitable revelation.

* * *

"I dearly hope all of us know what we're going to do today. We have trained so much in the past week, reviewed our strategies countless times… It is now or never." Hearing Danoxx's low but soothing voice eased Sirexx's mental turmoil somewhat. He tried his best to keep his external appearance as normal as possible but it would be too optimistic to hope that his inner feelings would stay hidden. '

"Or course it is! We must stop babbling and join the battle immediately! We musn't and cannot fail with the Creator personally guiding the prophets! We must give everything for their success!"

Sirexx would have wanted to cry out his frustration at Ra'jol's only hardening antics. He understood that beside him stood a friend who he would likely have to fight to the death until the sun would set behind the western mountains. For now, however, he would have to play along. Maybe, just maybe, there would be a fool's hope that Ra'jol would join his and Ke'nir's organization.

"The gladiators have begun their advance. We should join them now unless we want to raise suspicions." Ke'nir was as mournful as Sirexx but he could control his thoughts better. He would have the time to mourn later. The first regiments of gladiators had begun to gather in the fields to the east of the camp with the Anubisath being reawakened from their eternal slumber.

"I agree with Ra'jol that there's no real doubt about the victor: the prophets cannot be beaten anymore. Which is the reason why I'd like to see all of us alive at the end of the day. All of us must give our all but please, don't throw your lives away without a high price. I may be your High Ambusher, but I would like to also see you as my… friends." Danoxx looked at each of his comrades in a sympathetic and comforting gaze. His eyes asked for an answer to his remark but demanded none. Ra'jol's excitement and Sirexx's fear were diverted by their internal recognitions of their common endeavors.

Starting from Danoxx's left, each of three Unseen looked at Danoxx's eyes with the same look and nodded slightly, affirming their ultimate solidarity and friendship. It was with herculean effort that Sirexx could return the gesture but the knowledge that he worked for the salvation of all his comrades and the genuine respect and bond to his leader. After the passing of the short moment, Danoxx looked at the marching qiraji legions and spoke a simple command.

"Let's go."

* * *

"This slope is far too steep for any larger wagons… It seems our supplies have to be brought in with smaller ones and hippogryphs…" Valstann spoke in an apologizing tone. The border between Un'goro and Silithus brought great challenges for the elven logistics. Some of the wounded and weaker elves who still wanted to be of help had used the past few weeks trying to secure a supply route through the unhospitable jungle. Now there was a clear corridor through the wilderness which was clear of trees and paved with stones whenever the soil became too wet for nightsabers or any kind of carriage. Now the only challenges were the descent and ascent from the crater.

"Perhaps it could be flattened with the addition of some stones and gravel? I should be able to tie them together." Fandral had a pondering expression as he slowly scratched his beard. He was steadfast at robbing the qiraji from their greatest advantage: shorter supply lines.

"Yes but it would take weeks. We have no way…"

"Shan'do Staghelm! I have urgent news!"

Fandral turned quickly around to witness a female night elf riding with a dark blue nightsaber toward him. Her expression communicated urgency and alarm.

"What is it? Tell me!" Fandral could see that the message was of utmost importance. That could only mean that a large qiraji attack had started.

"Thousands of qiraji are on the move! Their entire army, the statues, the bugs, it's an all-out attack!"

She panted heavily and her voice was often cut by constant gasping. Fandral was about to answer her when another voice broke into the conversation.

"Father, let me take the lead! I can take our riders and defend the village until you and the rest of our infantry catches you!" The younger Staghelm told his father. He feared that without instant reinforcements Southwind wouldn't last enough to weather the offensive.

"Absolutely not! The situation seems grave, I cannot permit you to die for nothing!" Fandral's voice sounded resolute but his son wouldn't accept that for an answer.

"What kind of general would I be if I let our comrades die in vain just because I'm afraid? I have proven my abilities for many times over! I've kept the threat of furbolgs, centaurs and even some dragons at bay! I've earned lot of respect from the Sentinels and I can slow the qiraji advance for a decisive while! Let me do this, father!" Fandral frowned at Valstann's words but he still wasn't ready to let him go. It would be too big a risk .

"I cannot. Should you fall, the sentinels…"

"Without me, they will all die! Me and our best troops will and are able to save the battle! With Elune's blessing, the day will be ours! If you refuse, all of our efforts in this land will be for naught!"

Fandral took a long, calculating look into Valstann's eyes. They were filled with resolution and hope he hadn't seen from his son in years. He was prepared to give all to the war, even if he still believed his own words. Fandral knew he would regret his decision but he realized he couldn't hold his son back anymore. He had made up his mind, there was no reason to poison their parting any longer.

"Very well, my son. You have proven to be a great leader and a fearless fighter. Gather a small force. Save Southwind. But promise me to come back in one piece. You mustn't throw your life away like this." Valstann answered with an unshakable and emotional voice.

"I won't father. In the evening, we and all of our comrades will celebrate the great victory in our Southwind village."

Not much could be seen among the flux of flashes of falling stars, arrows and the massive forms of the advancing Anubisath. The massive statues received several huge blows but they even then they crumbled ever so slowly. Their sheer number meant that some were bound to get through, only to be followed by the actual qiraji army. This wasn't, however, the detail that worried the leader of the defending sentinels Arendre Ambermoon the most.

No matter how hard she tried to investigate the terrain surrounding the hill on which Southwind was located, she could see no sign of the qiraji magi or the prophets, as the hated insects called them. Arendre believed that she and her army could withstand the approaching army for some time but no more. Should the prophets suddenly appear in their flank, she feared the battle would be over.

 _Shan'do, General… please make haste._

* * *

Sirexx's melancholy and growing terror were slowly being cast aside by the natural thrill of battle. Even if the fears about the coming hours still filled the Unseen's head, the adrenaline was starting to flow in his veins. Additionally, he would have to be ready if the plan of the Sar'nexar started to move forward.

Alt'hesh, along with A'ker and Yr'haxx had taken the greatest charge. In the midst of the battle, they would have to feign their deaths or disappearance in order to be able to leave the battlefield. The rebel faction's only hope was to contact the Khar'sis and try to make him agree to a temporary alliance. Should they be successful, the other Sar'nexar would be informed by the wasps and they would join the High Ambusher upon their return.

But that would happen only once Alt'hesh returned with the answer. Sirexx and Ke'nir could pretend like everything was completely normal for a while but that didn't change the duo's choices. The die was cast: in one way or another they would free themselves from the incoming takeover of their minds.

Some the druids had joined the combat as different kind of beasts but some had stayed behind to heal and cause massive damage to the qiraji ranks with falling stars and violent bursts of nature's wrath. The composition somewhat resembled that of the previous battle's but the one detail made Sirexx cringe. The druids were assembled in a circle-like formation guarded by a few Sentinels. Apparently the druids had no wish to become the main target for the Unseen.

At first the brown qiraji tried to find the weakness from their ranks but any kind of assassination attempt, even ranged, would likely result in his own unnecessary death. The qiraji took a moment to weigh his decisions until the answer came to him. A fighter from the shadows could create his own advantages and the village behind the druids created a perfect target for sabotage.

 _Let's see how you fight your lungs full of boiling smoke!_

* * *

The sweet sound of intense battle rang in Kritass' ears. His chelae hit a new target constantly, the defenders in front of him falling under the coming onslaught. The way to the village itself was still a hundred meters away but the distance mattered little when one stood surrounded by comrades you could trust and enemies to be slaughtered. Alt'hesh and his plans were a complete secondary thing for now. Gladiators were the bulk of the qiraji army and they were trained to fight to the death.

Very unusually for the caste, they were provided with shields due to the nature of the assault. They were very simple if large: they were only thick plates of metal but they repelled most of the arrow volleys which constantly darkened the sky. Kritass cursed slightly when one of them slipped past the shield and penetrated his elbow chitin. At the same time, a power of falling starlight hit the ground between him and the nearest elf, its power felling the latter one. It took only a few seconds until her neck was crushed by Kritass' leg.

Even as the sound of the coming victory rang in the gladiator's head, one small of him couldn't help but wonder why they were charging at the village as an unorganized horde. Where were the prophets or the silithid? Kritass knew the answer had to wait for now as he engaged another of the defending Sentinels as he heard the deafening commands of the general.

"Group six, the elves waiver in front of you! Penetrate it! The elves are struggling everywhere, intensify the charge! Show them the might of the qiraji!"

* * *

The sight of the still-standing, unharmed village and ongoing battle was a great relief for Valstann and his group of fifty riders. They had ridden a very long-feeling time under the scorching sun and their mounts were on the verge of collapse. Valstann himself was completely fixated on the charge he had taken for himself. This was a unique opportunity to undo the qirajis' vile plans and shine in his father's eyes.

* * *

"General Staghelm! It's a great relief to see you here! Where is your father?" Arendre Ambermoon asked in a relieved yet waiting voice. She was giving commands to her army of Sentinels on the western hills of Southwind. The village itself was empty by now as no civilians were allowed in it yet.

"He's on his way! I and these loyal Sentinels were chosen to offer the first relief to you! How is the battle going?" Valstann could clearly see at the look of the advancing qiraji horde that the situation was grave but there could be some good news he didn't know about.

"We're holding our ground for now. The qiraji casualties are higher than ours, even too high for me to believe that they're showing their full force! If they have any reinforcements, may Elune bless us…"

Valstann grew extremely worried at that prospect. Indeed, there were no signs of the qiraji magi or the smaller insects. He didn't want to dwell in the dark prospects for long, however, as he knew that the morale had be kept high no matter what.

"Good job, Captain Ambermoon. Continue your work here, I will join the Sentinels in battle. I may be a druid but I'll be most useful in the battlefield, fighting alongside my people." Arendre saluted to Valstann as he begun to depart for the frontlines. The younger Staghelm had proven to be a great soldier, beating nearly every other night elf in a duel. Even many creatures, from centaurs to furbolg, had learned of his skills firsthand. His presence on the battlefield would certainly heighten the elves' morale.

* * *

 _Hehehee… This will certainly do it!_

Sirexx chuckled to himself as he spilled illuminating oil to the floor. It was an integral part of an Unseen's arsenal because of situations like this. There wasn't much room for it in Sirexx's small bag's which he carried on his waist so it had to be used effectively. Because of that he had chosen the large house on the top of the hill which was mostly likely the residence of their leaders. All the more reason to get rid of it. Sirexx had noticed that one member of Va'rel's squad was committing the same as him but that would only speed up the actual illumination.

* * *

Danoxx pondered his options as he investigated the lines of druids deeply concentrated to healing their comrades as they received constant injuries in the battlefield. He knew the dangers of any kind of attack on the group but on the other hand a success would disrupt the healing for a good while and give an opening for the gladiators. Certainly they could be hit with knives from a good distance?

The High Ambusher's eyes were locked on the nearest druid to him. His knife's poison was very fast so with any hit, he wouldn't have to worry about the kill. The knife left his hand and hit the druid in the neck. He was gone in mere seconds terribly jerking, his last movements being little more than convulsions. Danoxx, however, understood very quickly why the others had chosen sabotage as the best strategy. It was only seconds until the ground he had stood was scorched by magic and pierced by arrows. Everywhere around him, the escape paths were being blocked. Danoxx was trapped.

* * *

"There he is! Now, be quiet. Everything depends on our diplomacy." Alt'hesh stopped to tell his two comrades when he saw the night elf army marching forward in the western hills of Silithus. Alt'hesh took a deep breath as he raised an object which a qiraji very rarely carried: a white flag, the symbol of truce. The wind was modest but enough to flutter the flag. He and his two friends carried robes which covered them completely in order to keep their race a secret for a few critical seconds. At first, it seemed that no one notice the gesture but after a moment, one elf riding a nightsaber begun to approach them.

"Who are you? What do you want? Show your face!" The male, blue-haired commanded. It was clear that his patience wouldn't last long. It was a huge risk but Alt'hesh knew he had no choice. Slowly, he pulled back his hood, revealing the face which startled the elf greatly. First it looked like he was going to attack right away, but at the last moment he found the strength to contain himself.

"Tell me one reason why I won't kill you here and now! Tell me, or I'll enjoy your slow death, murderer!" The elf's voice contained cold rage and Alt'hesh knew he had to be swift and clear.

"I want to end the war on this day! You have little reason to believe me but if you'll listen, you'll save hundreds or thousands of your people's lives!" Alt'hesh's voice was pleading but firm. They carried no treachery, no malice but the elf wasn't ready to listen just yet.

"You're all damned liars and warmongerers! Don't even think…"

"You have nothing to lose! I'm carrying no weapons, I cannot cause you any harm! I'm promising you immediate and complete peace! You may even leave for your home today!" The elf was about to answer Alt'hesh's reassurances when another elf appeared behind him and interrupted his answer before it had begun.

"We have nothing to lose. He's telling the truth." At this point he turned to Alt'hesh. "And for what price? What do you want of us?"

"I have no time to tell my plan to everyone. Time is of the essence! Even now, my and your comrades are dying for nothing! I wish to talk to your leader or Fandral, as I think you call him."

The newly-arrived elf, who apparently was higher-ranked than the other, had a conflicted expression. He knew Fandral wouldn't want to meet any qirajis but on the other hand, they would lose little. He seemed to curse internally as he understood that if nothing else, this was a chance to get information from this insect.

"Very well. Follow me. But your two friends will stay here."

* * *

Fandral's eyes resonated deep disgust as the newcomer's face was revealed to him. He would have wanted to kill the enemy where he stood but he trusted his subordinates' judgement enough to stay his hand. In any case, there was no time to stop: the interrogation would happen on the march.

"You had a proposition for me? This better be good or you won't leave my army alive." Voices of hatred and loathing filled Alt'hesh's ears but at least he had received his audience. The next minutes would be the first true test to his plan.

"Yes, I offer you immediate stop to the war. You see, our leaders have lost their minds. We have little reason to trust one another but only a portion of us wishes to continue the war. I, along with my supporters, wish to overthrow the prophets and return to where we were before the war." Alt'hesh spoke slowly and intermittently in order to make his message as clear as possible.

"You are losing, fool. Why should we withdraw from our village and let you regroup in peace without any kind of punishment?" Fandral's voice's firmness showed no hesitation. He clearly expected to win a total victory.

"You don't even know what you're up against! There are at least two times more Anubisath than last time! The silithid have bred all this time! And most importantly, the prophets have given their minds up to our Creator! Their powers are greatly increased. You must believe me, you will all die if you try to fight our armies!" Alt'hesh spit the words from his mouth as he raised his voice. Fandral had to understand the magnitude of the situation.

"Wouldn't that suit you well? You have most likely killed many of our soldiers so why not finish the job with your precious prophets?" Fandral didn't trust the qiraji in the least and he was quickly becoming agitated by Alt'hesh's words.

"Because we wish to live free! The prophets wish to subdue our very minds in order for us to become one with the Creator! I truly don't know what he is but it seems he's up to no good! Moreover, if they learn that I've spoken with you, I'm as good as dead! You're right, I'm not here because I actually care for any of your lives in the least! I care for my own and my comrades and only you can help me! Likewise, only we can prevent your army's total destruction and complete fall of Kalimdor! The prophets… their might terrifies me even now. Our armies have to be greatly split on this day or they'll overrun you. I'm sorry but it's a fact." Alt'hesh's voice calmed down and it took an apologizing tone. Now everyone was up to Fandral. He seemed somewhat impressed by Alt'hesh's speech and he waited for a moment before he answered.

"Even if I said yes, what would be the future of your "people?" Would you return to terrorize and murder your neighbors?" Fandral asked a genuine question, prompting great hope in Alt'hesh.

"No… those raids were preparation for this war. My great hope is that we would be able to retain all of Silithus and our outposts across Southern Kalimdor. But there's only a slim chance we would "join the world" as we would probably return to isolation from you. Our contacts would be minimal but I promise you total end to the raids and this cursed war!"

"I'm hugely reluctant to trust you. You could try to backstab me once I turn my back to you. Also, you clearly overestimate your strength. But it is true that completely annihilating you would cost us thousands of lives. This desert isn't worth it… the final peace must be negotiated from the scratch but for now, the benefits are greater than the threats. I accept your proposal, for now"

* * *

Valstann blasted a piece of nature's own wrath towards an approaching gladiator while simultaneously healing a wounded Sentinel on his side. The elves' ranks were struggling to fend off the attacking army but Valstann's arrival had somewhat stabilized the situation. Whereas the qiraji had before slowly but constantly advanced and pushed the elves up the hill, now the elves were able to stand their ground. Even with the higher casualties, however, Valstann feared his troops wouldn't be able to prevail. The Anubisath assaults were almost unstoppable and holding them off was becoming harder by the minute.

 _If only those damned statues were gone… Maybe my druids could try to take them out…_

Valstann's ponderings were cut short by a sound that terrified him to the bone. A lighting-like crack followed by an ear-piercing screeches could be heard behind them, in the village itself! Valstann was close to panicking: he couldn't help whatever was happening in the village. If he left his position, it would collapse and the center of the elf defenders could be pocketed.

 _Ambermoon, please… don't let the village fall… should the qiraji breach one spot, we're all dead._

* * *

After a surprising loud blast, Arendre suddenly found herself lying on the ground, not having the slightest idea what had just happened. With a slow turn, she turned to the direction the attack had come from. As additional nuisance,the burningly hot wind scorched her skin mercilessly like a immaterial whip. However, the sight that greeted her made her forget everything else, the heat, her comrades even her own injuries.

Some of the druids that had been on her side lied dead or gravely wounded all around her. Even in her shock, she could hear the waning screams and the fearful sobs of the survivors.

 _My comrades… friends… what… why? Who could have caused this?_

No matter how badly she desired it, Arendre knew she had to rebuild the druid lines again. The battle on the hills below them was becoming more dangerous for the defenders, second by second. Even if she couldn't understand the words, the night elf could hear the giant qiraji general starting to sound increasingly triumphant. She run to help the relatively unscathed druids to recover their senses and return to their duties.

Her efforts were cut short in a matter of moments. First it sounded like a thunder was approaching in the horizon but unbelievably fast it became similar to a roaring river. The sound chilled the night elf to the bone as she had a terrifying inkling of its source. As if to confirm her fears, the ground begun to shake violently felling her again to the ground. From the corner of her eye, she could see a gaping tear starting to appear in the ground not far from her. In less than a second, disgusting forms of giant insects begun to pour from the hole.

* * *

 _Now the only thing left to do is to find shelter and watch the building burn!_

Sirexx was getting ready to illuminate the large building in the center of Southwind when the blast interrupted his plan. He was close to falling into the oil himself but managed to stay on his feet. Completely forgetting his job, the Unseen rushed to see what was happening. The sight that greeted him was one that he had expected to see already. The hill was swarming with silithid drones, reavers and a few colossi. In the middle of them he saw some last druids trying to desperately hold on to their lives.

 _This… is a slaughter! The druids are getting shred to pieces alive. Hurry Alt'hesh, soon there will be no one to ally with…_

Just as Sirexx was about to head to help at the battlefield, large forms begun to appear from behind the silithid swarm. Sirexx identified one of them as the prophet who gave Kre'jess' verdict, yes, I'rass was his name, and some other prophets arriving to finish the job the silithid had started.

* * *

Arendre was sweeping trickles of blood flowing from her many wounds, mouth and nose. There were only eight druids still standing, all others lying on the ground, their bodies broken and consumed by the giant insects. "Fortunately" for the survivors, the gruesome sight was hidden by the silithid swarming over the corpses, only the sea of black to be seen in their more than likely final moments.

The weight of two fallen comrades were already weighing upon the hapless elf who had'n resigned to her fate just yet. As long as there was even a slightest chance to kill another enemy, to take another of these devils with her and her comrades, she wouldn't stop fighting. She owed it to them but even more so to her home and family.

Knowing that she had to die in this Elune-forsaken hellhole fighting these monsters filled her with great bitterness and sadness. All her life she had defended Vordanaar and Mount Hyjal from petty bandits and surrounding tribes, lived every day hoping for a chance to meet her children and slumbering husband again. Her children had chosen non-fighting lives as druids and priestesses. Arendre knew that should she and the elf army die here, they would be the next to face the qiraji onslaught.

As the sentinel was drawing her blade from a slain reaver's corpse, she felt a deep pain in her side. It was a wasp, its poison already beginning to circle in the elf's veins. Arendre knew what would follow and tried to charge at the stinger but was surprised to see the silithid suddenly fleeing away from the few survivors. Arendre stared at them with a stunned look until she heard heavy footsteps from behind her.

* * *

I'rass took a moment to reflect at the speed the druids fell before the silithid. The real battle was over in less than two minutes. Now all that stood in front of him were a few blood-covered, half-collapsed beings which only distantly resembled any living elf. The sight of their injuries and suffering would have filled the prophet himself with disgust and pity but time for that was over. I'rass was no longer the prophet he used to be: I'rass himself had already gone to his rest. All that truly remained in the empty husk of a body was a personification of a vile god.

His eyes met Arendre's in a cold and completely indifferent look which would have filled any other watcher with deep terror. Arendre desperation and hate made her forget everything else as she would have ripped the qiraji to shreds had she been able to. But her body lied broken on the ground, never to stand or walk again. She was completely on I'rass' mercy. The moment seemed to drag on forever, the dying soldier staring into the enemy's eyes, as if to try to fight him even in her state. Only a slightest of gusts observed this last confrontation.

The prophet slowly raised his hand and pointed it towards the elf's head. He took a short pause until he begun to pull his hand in. Arendre still tried to keep up her furious look and preserver her ever-present dignity in her last moments. The following sensation, however, overwhelmed her completely. As I'rass started to pull his hand back, Arendre felt her heart and most of her other organs pressed toward each other, some of them even disintegrating in the process. Her bones snapped one by one, their splinters further penetrating her innards. She would have in normal circumstances been dead by now but… she wasn't.

I'rass watched his handiwork without a muscle in his face stirring. His face could have been a mask as it carried not even a smallest, desperate sign of pity or anything that once had made him a compassionate being. The elf's skin begun to disintegrate and her spine and skull starting to crumble and her screams finally starting to die, not because of her passing but because she wasn't able to physically produce voice anymore. Initially it degenerated into a terrifying gurgling until it stopped altogether.

And that was when I'rass managed to find what he, or rather the being who controlled the former prophet's body, was looking for. An ethereal, white being begun to emerge from the disgusting pile of flesh, like a cloud of mist on a cool morning. It twisted and turned endlessly, trying to escape its tormentor to its final rest. I'rass, however, wasn't done yet. The elf had faced her first horror but it was but a beginning, not only for Ambermoon but to all of her followers.

* * *

"The druids have fallen! The elves are surrounded! The victory is ours!" Rajaxx announced jubilantly as he continued his rampage in the elf lines. The enemy was beaten: there was no way for the defenders to defend their back and neither could they retreat: all of them knew they wouldn't see the evening. Rajaxx had expected them to give up to despair but it didn't happen. None of the elves gave up to panic and they merely strengthened defensive lines. The real battle may have been over but all of the combatants knew what was at stake.

Rajaxx wanted to end the battle as soon as possible. Not only because of his loyalty to the Creator but also because he didn't like to see his subordinates die completely in vain. There was no honor nor loyalty there: it was pure slaughter. He knew what he had to do in order to end the battle: the rather young elf who had arrived in the middle of the battle had regrouped the faltering elf lines and he clearly was a high-ranking commander. The General begun to head towards him, knowing that the battle would end once he was dealt with.

* * *

Danoxx leaned at the wall of a night elf building. He looked at his leg: it had been hit by a rather large druid spell and even if he had survived his premature attack, his battle was done. Not that it seemed to matter: the High Ambusher could well see what was happening. He felt great relief knowing that the day was theirs but his own part in it would be cut short. He also hadn't seen his comrades in a while: he could only hope they were alright.

Valstann's chest felt like it was going explode. He fought on with a beastly vigor but at this point he knew it mattered little. The battle was lost and he had simply doomed more of his soldiers to their deaths. Also, his own war would end here and now. The symphony of guilt, shame and fear fueled the combat he knew would be his last legacy in this world. The Sentinels surrounding him fared no better: trapped in a lost battle was something that no one should be able to go through.

The druid cursed as his spells were dodged by an assaulting battleguard. Valstann could land no hits on flying qiraji and the pressure on his unit was increasing by the minute. It would be all over in a few minutes. Then happened something that he had not expected: the surrounding qiraji retreated from him, making way for the one who Valstann recognized as their general, always shouting orders in his unintelligible language. The elf looked at his towering opponent, seemingly afraid of the coming battle. It was Rajaxx who started the brief conversation.

"You have lost, elf. You have absolutely no reason to continue this desperate fight. The druids suffered terrifying deaths. You don't want to repeat their mistake. There is yet a way for you to escape it. You still have a chance embrace the Creator's love." Rajaxx's voice was grave as he wanted to end the battle hear and now. He knew Valstann was likely too proud to listen but that would be his loss, not the qiraji's.

Valstann stared at the ground, carefully considering the offer. It was true that he dreaded the coming end and he wanted to avoid it at almost any cost.

 _Am I insane? I'm being offered a chance to live so why do I hesitate? I could hear the druids' screams and the disemboweling of my comrades. If I can save the rest of my troops, why wouldn't I?_

No matter as hard the young night elf wished to just surrender, a voice in the back of his mind prevented words from forming in his throat. There was no guarantee that the qiraji would respect his own words and even if he did, how would the qiraji treat their prisoners? Would they be sentenced to a lifetime of slavery or torture? Would they be forced to join the qiraji ranks on a crusade against their own people?

 _I cannot take that risk. What would our dead brothers and sisters think if we joined the enemy? There's no way we could surrender… We would only damn ourselves to a more dismal fate._

Valstann took a moment to apologize to his father about his terrible mistake in his mind. They would not meet again so he wanted to at least make peace with his own conscience. Then he raised his gaze to meet with Rajaxx's. The tension between the two was tangible as Valstann spoke in a surprisingly firm tone.

"Even if I wanted to, I cannot let my people to become your slaves. We have sacrificed too much, lost too many friends to betray their memory by aiding you. This ends here and now!" Valstann took an immediate initiative and blasted bolt of green power at Rajaxx. The larger combatant parried it with his chela and answered in a disappointed but soft tone.

"So be it. I cannot help but commend your dedication but despise your cause. But it matters little. Show me what you've got!" Rajaxx gave his final acknowledgment as he began his attack. He had a decisive advantage in strength and durability but he was slightly slower than his adversary. The battle in their closest proximity stopped as both sides wished to honor their leaders' duel. The qiraji saw that this was Rajaxx's own bidding whereas the elves didn't even have a real chance to intervene due to their already desperate fight.

Rajaxx knew he had a decisive advantage but he wanted in any case to ensure the outcome. He circled the elf and tried to land some blows to him, not truly expecting them to hit. He knew Valstann would be the first victim of fatigue so there was no reason at all to do anything reckless. The smaller combatant knew this as well but he knew his position was very difficult.

 _His armor is close unbreakable, even at this point, after the long battle, it has barely suffered any damage! Elune: if there's anything I can do to survive, please help me see it!_

He understood that time was working on Rajaxx's favor so he had to make his move now, no matter how desperate it would be. His own injuries weren't making things any easier: he was covered in cuts and bleeding wounds.

 _The only way I can really hurt him is to attack his face… but he's far too tall to do that. I must make him fall before I'll be able to make things done._

The druid examined the qiraji general's leg armor and the only minor weakness seemed to be just under his knee. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to dismember the piece of armor and crush his massive enemy's knee, making him fall and giving him a slight chance to injure Rajaxx.

Rajaxx, on the other hand, could clearly see that his opponent clearly tried to find the least desperate option to beat him but he would make sure the druid wouldn't be able to surprise him. He moved slowly and tried to leave as few opportunities for his opponent to strike him. Additionally, he caused the elf to make constant dodges with his crushing chela hits which fatigued the smaller combatant quickly.

None of this was lost to Valstann of course. For now he could only hope that Rajaxx hadn't found out his real target. Time for wondering was over: he took a deep breath and begun his decisive attack.

"Andu-falah-dor!" Valstann's cry stopped many fights in its ferocity and desperation. His attack was terrifying in its swiftness and brutality: in less than blink of an eye, Rajaxx's piece of armor was rolling on the ground. The General's expression was stunned as he felt a deep pain emanating from his knee but he didn't fall.

Valstann's heart sank as he observed his handiwork. His element of surprise had worked and Rajaxx was left defenseless for a moment. But that was his last success. His blade missed Rajaxx's legs' vital points, merely wounding them but not felling the massive qiraji. He had less than a second to ponder at the implications of his failure when he heard something that nearly made him feint. A huge, horrifying crunch could be heard from his right hand, followed by a thud in the ground. Even long before the shock had passed, Valstann could tell the source of the voice.

Rajaxx's expression was that of a surprise and triumph. He watched as the elf's stump of an arm fell into the ground, followed by his blade. Gone were the chances of Valstann attacking him again or even casting another spell. The battle was as good as over.

Valstann understood this also but his mind was too blurred at the shock and the blood flowing to the already-red sand that he continued the lost battle as if in a trance. He picked his blade with his left arm and charged again, trying to cause even the slightest of wounds to his opponents. Rajaxx was completely taken aback by this, if only for a short moment. He hit the maimed druid into his chest, felling him to the ground.

"Tie him up! I'll need him again soon enough…" Rajaxx turned his back to his crippled opponent and turned to speak to the combatants around him and spoke in a jubilant yet grave voice. The battle was already begging to slow down as the defenders were starting to really feel the effect of their colossal losses. Yet still they fought, putting their faith into the elf who now lied gravely wounded and handless in the ground.

"Your leader has fallen! I gave him a choice to save his and your lives and he refused! I truly commend all of your efforts and that is exactly why this has to end here! Your leader made his choice, it is up to you to pay for his mistake!" Rajaxx's announcement surprised many of the qiraji, as they had expected that they were seeking the enemy's surrender.

The elves on the other hand seemed quite unmoved by the announcement: they had expected it all along. But that didn't change the facts on ground: they were losing ground at an alarming rate and the unending cries of the silithids' victims made things only worse. But even, no panic was starting to form. The elves fought and died like statues, completely beaten and petrified by horror. They wished to simply close their eyes and escape this nightmare. All that was left was a silent prayer for a swift death. This pit of despair and horror went on and on…until only a small handful of survivors heard a sound that made them turn in disbelief.

A high and ringing sound of a horn rang throughout the bloodied field which resembled an uncovered mass grave. Rajaxx turned to look at the direction it could be heard from. First he saw only yellow sand dunes and the afternoon sun behind them but then he started to spot a few elves marching toward them, then more… His eyes didn't flinch once as he had expected their arrival. A shame for them as they were too late. Southwind had fallen and the newly-arrived army wouldn't be able to retake it, no matter what.

* * *

Alt'hesh stumbled slowly forward, tied up in a rope in order to keep him under the watchful eye of Fandral's bodyguards. He hadn't exactly agreed to it but what choice did he have? Had he refused, he would likely lie headless somewhere in the vast landscape of Silithus. He was told that A'ker and Yr'haxx were also tied up and with the army but they were kept apart for now.

Alt'hesh's body shook slightly from the mere thought of what would happen if the fate wasn't kind to his plan. The elf army had marched for hours and only soon would the village-fortress come to his view. He hadn't spoken with anyone since the initial negation with the leading druid. Both of them seemed to resent each other with all their hearts and this potential alliance would a one of need, not love.

The High Ambusher was greatly startled when the voice of a horn awoke him from his greatly stressed thoughts. Apparently they were nearing the battleground. His face took a queasy expression as he prepared to face whatever was about to be revealed from behind the horizon.

* * *

Rajaxx had begun to gather a group to assist him face the night elf army or rather their leader. He was disgusted by his plans but he knew from experience the value of planting seeds of fear in his enemies. Breaking the spirit of the enemy hastened their retreat and retreating opened new possibilities for enemy's annihilation. He eyed clearly disturbed at his prisoner, already apologizing in his mind at what he was about to do to the fallen elf.

* * *

Valstann's mind wandered the depths of his consciousness. He couldn't completely escape the ruin of his body and the twisting agony of his lost limbs. He would pass away in a matter of hours, no matter what the qiraji did. His mind's eye begun to form a picture of a white, two-storey house in the middle of a forest, when the spring sun would make the snow turn into happily running streams in the hillsides of Mount Hyjal… There he faced a person he would give anything to meet again… A person whom he had wronged gravely.

 _Leyara… I'm so sorry. If only I didn't want to play the hero… If only I could have swallowed my pride…._ At this moment, tears begun to fall from the dying elf's closed eyes. _Our child wouldn't be left without a father! I'm so sorry!_

As Valstann broke up internally, the elf in his vision acted unlike Valstann thought. She didn't bear a hostile look or reject his words. She smiled at the male warmly and locked him in her embrace. No matter the pain or the approaching death, Valstann couldn't remember a happier moment in his rather short life.

* * *

Alt'hesh eyed at the unfolding scene with fearful eyes. The battle was already over and Rajaxx was even coming to meet them! Showing himself to him would strip him of the last vestiges of trust the qiraji still had in him. To the High Ambusher's luck, Fandral seemed to have forgotten him completely.

* * *

"My greetings to the leader of the elves, the one called Fandral Staghelm! As you can see, there's nothing for you here anymore." Rajaxx went straight to the point, as there was nothing to gain from toying with druid. Also, he wasn't proud of this meeting even if it was vital to the war.

Fandral's eyes blazed with fury, carrying a terrifying fear in them.

"What happened to our troops? What happened to my son?" The answers might have seemed obvious but the elf wanted to know in case the qiraji knew something he didn't.

"Had your son been wiser, many of them would still be here, among us. He turned down my offer of surrender and… we, well, complied." Rajaxx wanted to keep his cards hidden for a while longer.

Fandral's heart told him to begin a charge at the qiraji ranks but for the sake of his army, he had to resist the urge. He felt complete emptiness: his last family had passed away because of his misguided acceptance of his foolish idea!

"Know this monster: you will be destroyed. There will be no more negotiations, no more mercy. You have sealed your fate." Fandral told in cold monotone, ready to turn away and begin regrouping his troops for a future offensive.

Rajaxx, however, wasn't done yet. The final disgrace was yet to cast. The final act of hatred and fear.

"Indeed, your son killed his own armies and caused the deaths of his comrades, his friends! Such a heinous deed deserves a punishment, no?" Rajaxx spat in a mocking tone. His words stole Fandral's attention, even if he suspected mere mockery and disgrace.

"Stop this charade at once! If he's alive, please return him to me!" Fandral's voice was furious and sorrowful yet demanding. It was clear that not complying with this demand would come with a high price.

"A leader like that deserves no mercy. Yes, he is still alive. I saved him for this moment, as a foretaste of your own future… Bring the prisoner to me!" Rajaxx cried the last sentence in qiraji and turned slightly to his left to address one of the gladiators. His expression was unreadable, to an extent that Fandral's fury was beginning to turn into choking horror. The slightly increased wind that only made the hellish heat manifest itself more violently, worsened his condition.

In less than half a minute, a horrifyingly mutilated body was brought to Rajaxx. He only nodded at the two gladiators to leave while he bowed slightly to whisper his last words to his fallen enemy.

"I'm sorry I'll do this to you. Not because I regret causing you pain nor do I regret killing you. I regret this because no brave warrior deserves to be put in your place, to experience this agony in front of your father. You wouldn't understand but know this: I won't enjoy this."

 _Cursed hypocrite… Just finish me already!_

Valstann showed no indication that he had even heard the qiraji's words and his thoughts were becoming too shady for even caring about his words. After finishing, Rajaxx raised Valstann to the height of his face and showed the druid to the night elves.

"Proudly but foolishly did this one put his head to the mouth of a beast! Now, look closely what happens to every one of you who doesn't submit in the face of the Creator's glory!" Rajaxx's bellowing voice took a nearly maniacal tone to it as he approached the end of his final announcement. These would be his final words before he made the ultimate disgrace.

Fandral was completely dumbstruck by what he was seeing. This couldn't be happening, could it? Was his own son going to be gruesomely butchered in front of his eyes? Even now he couldn't believe it… but the insect's eyes burned with malice.

Rajaxx grabbed Valstann's lower body with his other chela and waited for a moment before continuing. These moments seemed like an eternity for the dying night elf, yet…. he didn't feel fear anymore. The horrors and glories of his life were passing away, fading in advance into the eternal memory of the Emerald Dream. He understood that his story was complete: all that was left was to ask for Leyara's forgiveness when her time would come. With his body shutting down itself, the druid closed his eyes for the last time. The last thing he heard was a disgusting ripping sound from his torso before that voice, too, was left behind in a world in which Valstann was no more.

Sirexx stared at the scene in utter disgust. He watched in shock at the two pieces of the late elf's body which were painting the entire ground around Rajaxx red. This was not the way of the qiraji: Sirexx could only think in utter horror what other atrocities his own kind would commit upon the world. Not wanting to look any further, he turned around and went looking for his comrades and how many of them had fallen today.

Heavy trickles of tears flowed from Fandral's eyes. He managed to hold himself together somewhat but he was completely inconsolable. At this moment he could only see the monstrous insectoid in front of him, who had already put Valstann's remains to the ground. Fandral felt like his heart was being torn apart as he tried to understand the magnitude of his loss.

"You cannot avenge him, not now, not later. Your kind is done for. Submit now and maybe the Creator's chosen will show mercy to you. Otherwise we will advance day by day, until comes the day when your beloved Vordanaar burns in His flames." Rajaxx's voice had taken a turn into a slower and more threatening one. Each of his words dipped with malice and poison.

Fandral was completely swept away by his grief but the qiraji's words seemed to wake him up from his mental anguish. Whatever happened, the monster in front of him would pay the price for his deed.

"Revel in this atrocity, fiend. We will slaughter you and every last one of your cursed race. I was ready for a peace but no more. You will regret this atrocity before the end." Fandral's voice was as threatening as Rajaxx's if not more and he had forgotten all thought of compromise.

* * *

Alt'hesh was cold and almost paralyzed by terror. His plan was in tatters and even worse, the night elves had been totally decimated today. It would require a miracle worth of a hundred legends if the prophets would be stopped anymore. But there was an even more pressing issue: he was in the middle of a hostile which would yearn for his blood in a few minutes. His only chance of survival was to cause enough mayhem for him to escape in silence.

 _Hmmm… A few heavy jolts in the earth might give them something more to think for a while…_

Alt'hesh took a long breath and did his best to keep his nerves under control. His plan had failed but he wasn't done yet. He wouldn't die today as scapegoat. No, the general would answer for his own crimes. Alt'hesh closed his eyes for a moment to try to visualize his escape as well as he could. Then, he snapped his eyes open and started his escape.

The earth started to jolt heavily as Alt'hesh touched his medallion-like circle in his pocket, his trinket for his position as High Ambusher. It strengthened his command of the elements, a useful quality especially in surprising situations like these. The elves, of course, knew nothing of the elemental contacts of the qiraji so the sudden, violent earthquake caused serious mayhem behind Alt'hesh. The qiraji didn't waste a fraction of a second as he cut his chains with brute force, equipped his giant hood once again and started to run, hoping to lose his guards in the thick crowd.

 _I'm so dead if they realize what's going on! As long as these fools don't realize who I am, they won't interfere but… when they do…_

Alt'hesh did his best to avoid running straight into the elves but occasionally it couldn't be helped. The voices behind him shouted furious orders, their content all too clear for the escaping qiraji. He didn't turn to check for his pursuers but he could hear he wasn't losing them quickly enough. Even worse, a few more had joined the chase. Even then, against his better judgement, he was going to take Yr'haxx and A'ker with him.

 _A slightly larger hole on the elf's right, there's more space, get out of the way you idiot! The two are likely at the spot where we entered the army, near the end of the of the army ranks. I'll soon be there!_

Alt'hesh pushed another Sentinel to the ground, earning furious cursing behind him. Many made way for the escapee but many others didn't have the time. Alt'hesh could hear the pursuers slightly fall behind but not far enough. He would have to save his friends quickly, without any time for mistakes.

 _Here we showed ourselves… where…. yes, that's them!_

Yr'haxx and A'ker were standing at the edge of the army, guarded by five elves but not tied. Apparently they weren't considered big enough of a threat to take such precautions. At least something went as hoped.

"Yr'haxx, A'ker! We're going, now! The plan has failed, now we just have to save ourselves!" The two qiraji watched in surprise as their leader stumbled to them after running into the lines in front of them. In mere fractions of second, Alt'hesh killed two of the guards, opening the way for the duo to escape.

"Alt'hesh! What happened?" A'ker mumbled at the sudden turn of events. Clearly something had gone wrong but he couldn't tell what had happened as he couldn't hear the conversation between the leaders.

"I'll tell you later! Run, idiots!" Alt'hesh wanted to hear no disagreements and his terrified expression told everything about the situation to the two. Time was of the essence.

Alt'hesh knew that running away from an army to a desert was close to suicidal but maybe, just maybe, they could hide before they were hit by spells or arrows. There was a rather large formation of rocks not far from their position and an Unseen needed only a slightest of shades to hide himself from an enemy.

"Get there! We can lose them from there!" The blue-eyed qiraji pointed towards the rocks. His followers did as he commanded. Their chasers had reached the edge of the army and were now apparently commanding the others to try and stop the qiraji escape. It took some time for them to realize what was happening but they prepared their bows and spells quickly. Now it was up to the escapees to try to reach the rocks quickly enough.

Alt'hesh grinned as an arrow struck the chitin around heel. It made a chip in his armor but otherwise didn't wound him. How long his luck would continue, was a different question. The elves were potent archers, and they were in full view, like mere animals ready to be slaughtered. The rock was still hopelessly far away but none of the three refused to give up. They hadn't come this far to die here, not pierced by a volley of arrows.

 _More are coming from my left! At least I don't have to dodge all of them: my armor blocks some of them._

Alt'hesh rolled to his left, trying to minimize his reliance on his luck. The two other Unseen were doing even worse. He could hear groans of pain as Yr'haxx received an arrow to his lower back, far from lethal but it certainly didn't improve his condition. A'ker was doing slightly better, he had been pierced to his thigh.

More archers were joining the hunt. The qiraji were dodging admirably but the game would be over soon. The three wouldn't be allowed to escape the crimes of their people. One elf decided that she would be the one to show the others how to shoot a running target. She gently took an arrow from her quiver, put it on the bow and begun to tense the string. She had no way to tell if the trio had any hierarchy so she chose the one running furthest right. A rather long, reddish qiraji who seemed to be just slightly slower than the other two. She closed her other eye and aimed at his upper back. She begun to count slowly the time when she would release the arrow…

Alt'hesh couldn't believe that all of them were still alive. The rocks were only a few hundred meters away, the highest of them already beginning to cast their shadows upon the three qiraji. Only a minute more, surely then they would be safe…

The High Ambusher was becoming triumphant as he was already willing to believe that at least none of his followers would die today… that at least his leadership hadn't doomed anyone. He was preparing for a final push to the rocks when he heard a whip in the air and a short but violent scream behind him. The moment felt like it was frozen in time, it's cold and chilling embrace forever wrapping Alt'hesh to its terrifying embrace. He felt like he would never be able to turn to watch the aftermath of the voice, that he would just be able to escape and forget all of this. But… he couldn't. With glazed eyes he turned around and saw a sight that would return to haunt him in the dark moments of the day and life. A'ker was lying on the ground with an arrow in his neck, as motionless as the rocks which only mere seconds ago had been the sweetest sight he could imagine.

Alt'hesh couldn't help but come to the terrible conclusion that his dear friend was already gone, his spirit freed by the violent hit to his neck. Even if he lived, the High Ambusher realized that he couldn't help his fallen friend. He swallowed hard and tried to contain his tears as best as he could as he wasn't alone in his grief. He could see Yr'haxx staring at his companion but the brief moment was cut by Alt'hesh's command.

"We must go! Yr'haxx, run! The only thing we can do now is live!" Yr'haxx didn't answer but he complied with the order. They reached the rocks in less than half a minute and disappeared from the elves' vision. The encounter with Rajaxx was over and the elves had more pressing matters than to chase two qiraji in the desert.

But none of it mattered to a lone corpse lying in the shadow of the rocks. His eyes were forever fixed on the dire landmark that was his last goal. He would never reach it and never know why. All that he knew was a sudden, complete end to his consciousness. But he was far from alone in that sensation. The nearby field near the foot of a lone hill was crawling with corpses, of elves' and qiraji, whose memories and dreams had been wiped in mere seconds, each of them a testament to the even more horrifying days to come.

* * *

 **So, Alt'hesh's plan is a failure, elves are on the run and the qiraji army seems invincible. This story is well over halfway (I envisage some 20-30 000 words left) and I'm extremely grateful for the follows I've received. Reviews would also be welcome as they would help me improve my writing and to point out some inconveniences that have caught your mind. I hope you've enjoyed Growing Divide thus far and I hope to continue delivering chapters every one or two weeks!**


	27. An Unfortunate Encounter

**An Unfortunate Encounter**

The wind was rising in the slowly darkening night. Even though the day had yielded a decisive victor, the air was completely void of any voice. Only the faintly burning fires of the qiraji camp and the massive swarms of silithid indicated that the night was any different from the ordinary night of this desolate hellscape. None of the victors had moved to their prize: entering Southwind village was strictly forbidden to all but the prophets. It was clear to all of the qiraji that something had happened there but none of them even wanted to guess what it had been. Horrifying screams and flashes of black, followed by swarms of silithid wasps that had arrived to degenerate the remains of the village were the only things any of the ordinary qiraji would know about the events that had happened on the hill.

One of the very few who had seen at least part of the horrors looked anxiously at the northern horizon. Sirexx felt a cold grip in his innards, having witnessed Ambermoon's demise and the slaughter of her druids. Such atrocities… Sirexx felt sick each time his mind wandered to the horrifying image of Arendre's body being ripped apart.

 _Alt'hesh… you can't be dead. Our people still need you. I don't know what we can do but… we can't do it without you._

The chances of the High Ambusher's return were diminishing very quickly as not even a qiraji could survive for long under the burning sun.

* * *

Not far away, two weary Unseen walked without saying a word. There was nothing to say: the air around them was filled with deep grief and fear. Once in a while, they would exchange glances to ensure that the other one would be able to continue the journey. A'ker's untimely death filled their thoughts and somewhat mercifully, kept their own wounds and exhaustion at bay. The three had met long ago but unlike many other qiraji, not as comrades but as a teacher and his two students. Alt'hesh had managed to shake off the feeling of superiority toward the two due to their many missions, trial and real ones, they had done together.

Not only that but his two students had also become Alt'hesh's closest friends as time had passed. To know that one of them had passed on from this world: the High Ambusher couldn't shake of the feelings of failure. Of course he had lost comrades before and he was far from stranger to seeing death before his eyes but back then, his subordinates had usually made some kind of error or the entire mission had been a failure. But now… it really was his fault. There was no excuse.

As difficult as acknowledging it was, Alt'hesh knew he couldn't dwell in his sorrow for too long. Even if A'ker was gone, most of his other followers were likely alive. Even now, Alt'hesh knew he would never accept the new reality of Ahn'Qiraj. But without the elves, his options were critically limited. He knew that a victorious army wouldn't trade their triumph to returning to the past, not after sacrificing many of their comrades and probably their own limbs. No, the time for trying to divide the qiraji ranks was over.

Alt'hesh took a look at his companion. He knew that Yr'haxx would be now even more than determined to avenge his old friend but Alt'hesh couldn't help but dread the scenario if his plan went wrong. There was only one option: to attack the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj itself, slay Skeram and the Emperors and cause a power struggle among the highest-ranking qiraji. It was a long shot but Rajaxx's abysmal deed had taken out the other options. He could only hope that one other of his followers hadn't met their ends in the battle. They would have to be informed quickly of his plan.

* * *

Ra'jol was ecstatic. Not only had the qiraji army triumphed over the hated enemy but the promise of a communion with the Creator was more than he had ever hoped for. The elves were done for: the end of the war would be swift. And yet… there was something that he didn't quite like.

He had hardly seen Ke'nir or Sirexx in the past week and they seemed to suddenly keep more to themselves. He had no way to tell why as there had been no disagreements or poison inside his squad. The concern that that welled from that fact alone brought a bitter taste to an otherwise perfect time. He didn't want to believe that his squad members had become get involved in anything suspicious.

 _They both may have had their weaker moment but… there's just no way. They aren't traitors. But I have to get to the bottom of this. I have to know whatever's wrong. They can't just pull off from our group: we've trusted each other with our lives: why would they do this now? They've got some answering to do._

* * *

The camp's voices were beginning to die out as the last light of the already-set sun vanished from the sands. The war would continue tomorrow but the prophets understood even in their new state that an exhausted army wouldn't survive the battle. Sirexx, also, was preparing to lie down to his mattress on the ground and worry about Alt'hesh's fate. As he was about to fall to sleep, he heard a rustling of paper under the walls of his tent. Sirexx snapped awake to see that there indeed was a paper near his head.

He grabbed it quickly, not having the least idea what to expect. His eyes changed from surprise to worry and then shock. What he was seeing was a suicide mission with no chance of success. The letter ended with an order to tell Ke'nir about the order. Time was of the essence: if they were going to try Alt'hesh's plan, they would have to start soon.

* * *

Ra'jol walked warily among the darkened tents. The few guards here and there didn't seem to care about him in the slightest but it was clear they were looking for someone, worsening Ra'jol's worries about his friends' recent deeds. No matter what, he would get to the bottom of this. Even if they were on the wrong side of the suspected rebellion, Ra'jol wanted to believe he could dissuade them before it was too late. If he couldn't… he would have to act. Not even Sirexx and Ke'nir would rob the qiraji of their triumph.

Just as Ke'nir's tent came to his view, he could see a dark form approaching it from his left. It was clearly a qiraji, either a gladiator or an Unseen and it was headed towards Ke'nir's tent. Ra'jol hid quickly behind another tabernacle, wanting to hear if there was anything suspicious going on.

* * *

Ke'nir was still awake, studying various Me'lesh strategies in an effort to calm his worries about Alt'hesh. The clock was running and it was becoming increasingly obvious that he had lost a leader and a friend. He was trying hard not to let his mind wander off to the implications of such a scenario: his thoughts already being an overwhelming maze of worries. Trying to find some ways to gain an advantage in a game of luck was the best way he could try to calm down. He was highly surprised when he heard his tent's door opening.

The first thing that caught Ke'nir's attention was the highly disturbed look on Sirexx's face. It did little to heighten his spirits in an already precarious position.

"Sirexx! Do you have any news? There's little reason to be here at this time of a day otherwise…"

The question was mostly rhetoric as Sirexx's expression gave away the answer. There was something very wrong but Sirexx seemed mostly scared, not mournful.

"Alt'hesh is alive but his plan was a total failure. The elves will never be our allies and A'ker is dead. He was killed when they were escaping from the elf army." At first Ke'nir felt deep relief at the news about Alt'hesh but his heart sank as he hear about the Unseen's death. They didn't know each other too well but he had still been a trusted and respected comrade in the past days. His death was a heavy blow for the Sar'nexar. Ke'nir's voice was wavering yet curious when he answered.

"May he rest in peace wherever he is. What else?"

"We all know that our rebellion was dealt a grievous blow today. Alt'hesh sees only one way forward. He proposes us to attack the Temple itself and slay Skeram and the Emperors." Sirexx's voice was close to a whisper as he told about Alt'hesh's plan. He dreaded it but understood its purpose. Ke'nir, on the other hand, froze completely and dropped a Me'lesh piece to the floor in utter shock. He stared at Sirexx for a few moments until he begun to splutter an answer.

"Assault the Temple? Are you crazy? That's a suicide!" Ke'nir's gaze was completely absent as he spoke, his mind contemplating the weight of Sirexx's words. However, his voice told that the question was not a real question: Ke'nir had already accepted the reality. Sirexx was just about to answer when the tent's door opened to the duo's deep horror.

Ra'jol's gaze was fearful and sad as he eyed his two friends. This was it: either he or his friends would abandon their allegiance today or die and Ra'jol knew without the least of doubts that it wouldn't be him. He had never been a diplomatic person but he knew what was at stake.

"I heard your conversation. All of it and I cannot believe what I'm hearing." The tall Unseen took a highly suspecting expression and gave each of his friends a cold yet somewhat friendly look.

"Ra'jol… I know what you're…" Ke'nir begun to answer but he was cut short by Ra'jol.

"Neither of you has to suffer for this. I promise to stay silent if you abandon your rebellion immediately. I have an immense amount of respect for each of you and I know you're capable comrades and some of my closest friends. That's why I don't want to raise my chelae against you… but I'll be damned if I let rebels get away with their crimes!" His voice suddenly rose to a mournful and bitter threat, his eyes communicating deep disgust for being forced into this situation. Ke'nir and Sirexx weren't in a better situation, each of them looking at Ra'jol with fear and compassion.

"Ra'jol, the prophets have betrayed us. The Creator wishes no good upon us and the He's driving us towards our doom! We'll all be become mindless pawns if we won't stand against them! I have seen it: remember my story at Eldre'Thalas? All the omens I was shown are coming true: the spells the prophets used today, the Creator's behavior towards us, the mindless slaughter! It's all coming together!" Sirexx spoke in a stressed and pleading voice, as he simply wanted to bypass Ra'jol and begin his mission at the Temple and finish his struggle. Ra'jol was just as reluctant to continue this meeting but they both knew there was no other way.

"Even after today's triumph you believe in your delusions. I feared as much but I never suspected that you, Ke'nir, would join this folly. If I'll be bestowed the same blessing as the prophets were, I'll gladly accept it." Ra'jol's voice took snorting quality to it as he was beginning to understand where the discussion was going.

"I was there, Ra'jol. I saw I'rass use his new "blessing". It was horrible: the elf was completely ripped apart from inside out. I can still hear her screams in my head… I knew I'rass as well as you did. Even if he shared your faith in the Creator, he never enjoyed hurting others. But the being I saw at Southwind enjoyed the torture, savoring every last bit of agony he caused. I don't even want to know what he did afterwards but believe me Ra'jol: I'rass is gone, forever replaced by the monster we call the Creator." Sirexx knew his words were far from diplomatic but it couldn't be helped: Ra'jol had to know the full truth, for better or worse. Ra'jol stood motionless and silent for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Don't treat me as if I weren't there. I, too, saw things. I saw a triumphant army bringing perfection to our Kalimdor, headed by true judges, ever ready to fight against evil and blasphemers. I don't know what I'rass did but all of the Prophets worked for our benefit. Whatever the elves did, they deserved all of it." Ra'jol was calm but his expressions communicated deep mental pain.

"Ra'jol, there are many others who are on our side and some of them have already died because of it. We have heard Skeram tell about his plan and the effects of the ritual. We _know_ what is happening. Why would we lie to you, Ra'jol?" Ke'nir tried to appeal to the other Unseen's reason, not expecting it to work but he had to try, nevertheless.

"So it was you who stole Kre'jess' crystal… It explains so many things." Ra'jol muttered under his breath. It wasn't true but it would be easier if Ra'jol didn't know who lead the Sar'nexar.

"We have to go. It is up to you, Ra'jol, to decide what you'll do. I don't expect you to join us. None of us wished to meet like this." Ke'nir tried to get Ra'jol realize the depth of today's events. He for one, desperately wished there was another way to fighting any of his comrades. He knew that Ra'jol also dreaded that scenario but it was time for him to make his decision. Either he continued to serve the Prophets and attack his two friends or relinquish his life in Ahn'Qiraj and join Sirexx and Ke'nir in their hopeless struggle. With a deep heart, he knew what he had to do.

"I owe you two too much to alert the camp to your treachery. You deserve better than that. We haven't always approved each other's loyalty to the Creator but not once did I want to expect this moment. But… if you insist on committing this treachery, then so be it!" Ra'jol threw a knife next to Sirexx's head. It was clear to everyone what was about to transpire. An event that had been a long time in making.

 _Why do you have to do this, Ra'jol? Why did you have to come here?_

Sirexx had to force himself forward, almost feeling that letting his friend end it here would be easier than to leave for the Temple. But he had seen I'rass' deed at Southwind. He had no choice but to try to end the horrors which were about to transpire. And Ra'jol stood between him and his goal. He had to demolish most of his past to have a chance to save his future.

Ke'nir approached Ra'jol quickly, trying to close him in one-on-one combat. Ra'jol had no way to win against the two. Ke'nir had to admire his friend's courage: here he was risking his life to make his friends see their error, even at the cost of never being able to see his paradise. Ke'nir couldn't help but feel a grip of guilt gripping his heart.

Ra'jol's thoughts were in even a worse chaos than that of his friends: his thoughts were clouded in despair as he found no acceptable solution. He couldn't kill the two but neither could he win against them. Was he really prepared to die? A sensation was growing deep inside him, a sensation he hoped to be kept hidden inside him. Hatred. His two "friends" had sided with the enemy and now they were prepared to kill him? Even then, he knew that they didn't enjoy the current fight any more than he did. But would he find it in his heart to ever forgive them? Or they him?

The taller qiraji's left chela collided with that of Ke'nir's, each of them giving away to each other's next attack. Whereas Ke'nir tried to stab his opponent with a knife to his face, Ra'jol kicked him in his abdomen, felling Ke'nir to his back. Ra'jol tried to finish the other Unseen quickly but he was cut short by another hit. Sirexx hit the attacker to his side, sending him flying for a few meters. When he landed next to the wall, Ke'nir managed to get a hold of his chelae and tie him to the ground. His half-hearted attack was thwarted. Ra'jol begun to believe this would be his end.

 _Finish me, bastards. The swifter I get away from witnessing your own doom, the better. At least I'll get the Creator's mercy, unlike you when you fail._

Ra'jol's gloomy thoughts were cut short by a statement that caught him completely by a surprise. It was Ke'nir's voice, spoken in a pained but constrained voice.

"You could have killed us with a mere cry, Ra'jol. I can only thank you for that and return the favor by showing what our many years still mean a lot to me. We will not kill you, Ra'jol. May you find your own happiness with the Creator. Goodbye, Ra'jol… and thank you for everything." A single tear dropped from Ke'nir's right eye as he said his last acknowledgement.

Ra'jol stared at him in utter surprise, completely expecting to be dead by now. He was at a complete loss of words, not knowing whether to be grateful or pitying at the rebels' decision. Nevertheless, he knew that from now on, they would be enemies or at least opponents. This would be his last chance to say farewell. After a long pause, he managed to form a few words.

"This was the last time I will show mercy to you. Not that it matters: you will never survive through the night. Perhaps in the afterlife you will realize your mistake, traitors." When he finished list last sentence, Ke'nir nodded slightly. The last thing Ra'jol saw was Sirexx's chela falling down to his head. After that, everything turned black.

* * *

The slight wind moved clods of sand across the pitch-dark desert. The clouds had shrouded the small moon's glow, making every object that rose from the sand a mere black silhouette. The air was chilling: the qiraji were shuddering with cold. Yet the Unseen who stood on a low dune couldn't afford to leave just yet. Two of his comrades were still missing in a situation where the absence of one qiraji would make the coming ordeal a certain failure. All of the other Sar'nexar were here with exception of A'ker.

The time passed slowly and the small wind was beginning to slowly die down. Because of that, Alt'hesh was startled when an apparent gust flashed next to him. Immediately afterwards he heard a familiar voice speaking in a low, careful voice.

"Here we are Alt'hesh. Show us the way." Sirexx said without further honors. He had nothing more to say on this night of many terrors. Alt'hesh looked at him with a concerned look, immediately realizing that something had happened that had unnerved the two beyond words. However, everyone assembled knew that there was no more time to lose. The time to assault Ahn'Qiraj was at hand. Alt'hesh turned to face his followers and spoke briefly and unceremoniously, understanding that his original plan's failure had weakened his own position. Trying to act pompous here would only make things worse.

"You all received my message and you know what our objective is. One way or another, this ends tonight. Let's go."

* * *

 **The reckoning has begun between the former comrades. What will be the outcome of the showdown? And even more importantly, can any of the Sar'nexar hope to survive the coming attack?**

 **On a side note, I decided to change the name of the story. A Growing Divide was fine for a time but I think the new one fits the context and the themes better. Have a nice weekend, everyone!**


	28. Of Courage and Foolishness, Part 1

**Of Courage and Foolishness, Part 1**

Dark whispers moved voicelessly among the sands of Silithus. They were unleashed by the ritual at Ahn'Qiraj last night but to the qiraji in the desert it seemed like a lifetime since these ghastly feelings and suspicions begun to manifest themselves in the minds of the qiraji. As if unseen black waves sailed like endless rivers of evil and wrap everything and everyone in its chilling embrace. The day the mysterious being of the Black Forest had shown to Sirexx was approaching at a steady yet unnoticed pace.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, Ke'nir's walking was becoming increasingly forced and physically draining. Even if the last day had taken its toll on his body, the Unseen knew there was more to his sudden fatigue than mere physical exhaustion. The Sar'nexar spoke very little during the march to Ahn'Qiraj and none of them gave away any signs that something was amiss. This alone confirmed Ke'nir's fears that someone was hindering their journey. Whether it was the prophets or the Creator, he could only guess.

Even through the deafening silence, all of the qiraji felt the oppressive tension in the air. None of them knew what to expect in the depths of the temple. Was it simply a small shrine which was only an insult to the many highly revered myths about its depths? No one had seen it through their own eyes, expect for a very few select prophets. Everything that had ever been told about the temple was pure speculation and guesses.

No matter how hard Sirexx wanted to believe otherwise, he knew that the truth would most likely be more horrifying than anyone could have guessed. After all, all of the Sar'nexar knew the Creator was real and almost certainly lurked somewhere under the Temple. The brown Unseen dreaded the prospect of fighting against the prophets' new powers or the secretive Twin Emperors but it was the Creator that sank his spirit. After all, the being at the Black Forest, this N'zoth, had called The Creator his equal and N'zoth was able to transport him from one world to another in blink of an eye and then manipulate his actions the whole time. He could only hope that N'zoth had exaggerated the Creator's strength…

"Halt! We're there." Alt'hesh said as a massive shadow could be seen in the distance, as if the walls wanted to impose fear across the desert. Gone were the days when any of Alt'hesh's followers would have welcomed their monolithic presence: now their old home brought only anxiety and despair to the assembled qiraji.

"Then tell us what we're going to do, _High Ambusher_." Svr'ash spoke in a mocking tone. He had been skeptical about the rebellion from the beginning and today's disaster didn't help to raise his confidence.

"We can't just attack the city! How do we even know Skeram's there? Why wouldn't he continue to lead the army?" The speaker was one of the more recent recruits whose name Sirexx couldn't recall. He was a dark-green gladiator but that was all Sirexx could say about him. Most of the assembled qiraji looked at Alt'hesh disapprovingly but curiously. It was time for him to show that their trust hadn't been misplaced.

"We do know that the prophets plan to possess every qiraji's mind and that the prophets were only the first step. It's safe to assume that the Creator wishes to use his most powerful pawn to conduct the rituals. But we must also remember that no outsider knows about our rebellion. No one can prevent us from entering our own city! Our march to the Temple should be quite free of troubles."

"Baseless optimism. Even if they let us through, the Creator will alert them of our goal! Then we'll never even enter the city!" Uvesh said with an alerted look.

"It is unlikely He will. He is most likely occupied with commanding the prophets and even then, he trusts that the guards at the temple will hold us off. We are less to Him than silithid are for us. Would you worry if a few drones would plan to attack Skeram?" Alt'hesh didn't completely believe his own words but he knew they weren't wrong either. An endeavor like this meant that risks couldn't be avoided. Uvesh simply took a deep breath and turned his gaze to the menacing walls.

"There's no reason to delay this any longer. Let us begin."

* * *

The duty of a guard in Ahn'Qiraj seldom offered excitement and the silence was even more profound in the night. An occasional courier from the army was the most common sight a dutiful guard could see during his watch. All of the soldiers were on the front which could be world away as far as denizens of the city were concerned. The only difference from the time before the outsider visit was the lack of military presence inside the walls.

Four torches blazed around the western gate to the city. Their warmth was an effective toll to fight the chilly winds coming from the desert. The guard smiled at the thought that the night would be over in a few hours as did his comrade. The night was already getting old: surely nothing would happen anymore…

"Look! Someone's coming from over there!"

* * *

Alt'hesh took a long breath as he approached the walls. There was a decent chance that the guards knew him but it also wasn't impossible that they could try to stop the rebels. He could already see the guard's face in the darkness, lighted by the torches around him.

"State your business! What is a group on Unseen doing here?" The guard obviously didn't know Alt'hesh.

 _Why does everything have to be this complicated?_

"I am High Ambusher Alt'hesh, originally from the Creator's Point. We were sent here to guard Skeram and the Temple in case there will be some kind of threats to the Prophet's work. The prophets are needed to prepare for something we weren't told of but they need us to shield the." Alt'hesh's face was as normal as he could make it and his voice was forced to an ordinary level. He tried to sound as prestigious as possible. The guard on the other hand, didn't seem convinced.

"Since when have Unseen been chosen to be the guards of the Temple. Your kind has never been let there before in case you didn't know!"

"In case you didn't know, these are not ordinary times either. There are traitors among the army, and who else is better to stop them than an Unseen? We can destroy them from the shadows, long before they pose a threat to the prophets." Alt'hesh couldn't have cared less to argue with a gladiator at the gate but it couldn't be helped.

"Traitors? I know nothing of them but I know that your story makes no sense. You won't pass until you give a better explanation."

"I understand your concern but every moment you waste here, the prophets are left undefended. Do you actually want to waste time splitting hairs with me when our future hangs in the balance? I know our Prophet would really want to hear about that…"

The guard took an unreadable expression at Alt'hesh, still not convinced about the Unseen's frankness. But after all, his only duty was to oversee the overall arrivals to the city, not to bar other qiraji from it. There was very little the group could do anyway: if they tried anything funny, they would be eliminated in seconds.

"Very well. Thank your luck for many of my colleagues wouldn't have been this kind, High Ambusher.

Alt'hesh nodded to the guard and thanked him casually. He didn't let his relief at the guard's decision show but he tried to look as natural as possible.

The nightly streets of Ahn'Qiraj were completely empty, no one to be seen. Most of the city's denizens were on the battlefield and most of the remaining were either elders or lowliest of servants. The overwhelming feeling of emptiness and cold was even more profound when the rebels were inside their one real home and capital. The way to the temple was far from long but the horrifying situation made every step feel like torture, as if they were on the way towards an eternity of pain and regret which according to the prophets' teachings was exactly what was happening.

Sirexx took a look at the hill to his right. On top of it could be seen a massive building with a statue of a scarab at it's top. The road that led there was just as any other road into the city but it had always been supervised by the prophets' spells. If someone who had no business there tried to enter, he would quickly be surprised by Skeram's personal guards, the Protectors, the highly mysterious and small caste. Sirexx had seen them only once, when Valstann had arrived in the city to try to prevent the war. It felt like it had happened years, not mere two months ago…

"If you have anything to say, say it now. This is the last reprieve we will get." Alt'hesh's voice snapped Sirexx out of his thoughts. The crossroads which led to the Temple opened before them and with it, the Prophets' many traps. Even with Alt'hesh's offer, everyone stayed silent.

"From this on, we can no longer try to move without being detected nor can we convince anyone with lies. From this on, kill everyone you see. If you can't, try to prevent them from chasing us. I hate to say this but from this on, be prepared to sacrifice your life if you have to. If we fail, it doesn't matter if you survive anyway… there's no future for us in that world." Alt'hesh said quickly and casually as he knew all of them knew what was going to happen from this on. It was either success or death, a race against time into the unknown.

Alt'hesh sighed quickly and then said in a fast, commanding but silent voice. "Let's go! For Ahn'Qiraj and the Sar'nexar! Success or eradication!" Each of the others repeated to Alt'hesh's improvised war cry, willing to give their all for their lost cause, one last act of desperation. It all felt unreal for Sirexx but the moment he felt his feet begin moving, he knew this was it. A primal, savage desire for killing awoke deep within him, passed down to him from the animal-like aqir.

Had anyone been adept in magic, they could have felt slivers of magic beginning to shiver around them like web around a doomed fly. Sirexx couldn't feel it but he knew that something was about to happen very soon.

In the pitch-black air, Sirexx saw to two unidentifiable weapons flash. They targeted Alt'hesh, who led the charge. Sirexx could see him jump to his left, dodging them. In a few seconds, the brown qiraji begun to see what the attacker was. They were short or rather they hunched heavily. Four yellow orbs burned under their hoods, like cold lanterns in a windy autumn night. They had no chelae but small limbs which resembled that of a cockroach's legs. Sirexx knew who these opponents were: the highly mysterious Protectors, unshaking defenders of the Great Temple.

"Kill them! There are only two of them, they can offer no resistance!" Alt'hesh had already by passed them as they couldn't afford to stop fight two enemies. If the Sar'nexar couldn't annihilate two enemies without a problem, there was no point to continue the fight anyway.

Kritass was one of the last ones in the group. He could see the Protectors dodging every attack by the Unseen. They acted extremely passively, seemingly not truly trying to attack the rebels. As if they were sent to die, their mission simply being to identify the traitors and slow them down. The Protectors were very seldom seen and no one knew how they fought. Clearly these two were not going to give away their secrets but to merely let Skeram learn who were attacking the Temple.

The Protector on the right was exchanging blows with Tilrasha the battleguard when Kritass prepared to crush his neck with a mighty blow. But just as he was about to hit, he saw that his chela was only to hit the darkness. The Protector was gone, vanished into the thin air.

"The Protectors can disappear! They can attack us anywhere so be careful!" Tilrasha cried to her allies. She took a final look at Kritass, who was dumbstruck by the unexpected event, until both of them resumed their charge.

At the crossroads, the road to the Temple seemed like any street in Ahn'Qiraj but the buildings had been left behind swiftly. Now, on the both sides rose massive walls, covered by writings in a language none of the rebels could read, even if they had time. It didn't even look like qiraji writing, the "letters" were larger and more complex than that of the qirajis'. Sirexx's mind wandered briefly into the speculating their origin and they quickly wandered into the Creator and N'zoth's kind.

The road took a sudden and stark turn to the left. Even if Alt'hesh wanted to, stalling hear in fears of an ambush would be a suicide. He took a deep breath and leapt swiftly forward in case of archers. The lack of them surprised the High Ambusher but not as much as the sight that greeted his eyes.

A monolithic building rose in front of him. A monolith of stone, it dwarfed every other building in Ahn'Qiraj. Three staircases led to its entrance which was supported by two columns, one on each end of the structure. On top of it rose three massive obelisks, the one on the middle dwarfing its two other counterparts. In front of it was a golden portrait of a scarab.

But one detail overshadowed all others in Alt'hesh's eyes. One qiraji stood in the middle of the stairs, a creature he had sworn to kill many times. Prophet Sa'rol. One of the betrayers of the qiraji.

"I don't even want to guess what drove you into this attack. You can't possibly believe that you will stand a chance against us, least of all in the Temple. But before we will break you, you must know this: we know each of your names. Regardless of today's outcome, you will never again find peace in this world. Our victorious armies will hunt every one of you down, no matter where you run and hide. Sirexx, Ke'nir: you are no different. You two sealed your fates with this foolish endeavor." Sa'rol's voice dipped with poison and mockery, signaling the deepest of contempt towards his adversaries. No matter what would happen, the rebels wouldn't be given clean deaths.

The appearance of the prophet slowed the renegade qiraji for a moment. Not because of his presence but because the Creator had managed to prepare for the attack this fast. Alt'hesh knew that they couldn't afford to waste time arguing with the first prophet that confronted them.

Sa'rol eyed the two dozen attackers stoically, somewhat surprised by their resolve. But none of it would matter: they would never enter the temple, at least not in full numbers. Seeing their charge, he tugged his right arm, forming walls of black fire in each of the staircases. The dark flames begun to creep down the stairs, slowly beginning to engulf the entire courtyard in them. Additionally, at the sides of the room could be heard slight gusts of wind, revealing eight Protectors ready to join the assault.

Alt'hesh took a quick look at the attackers, knowing that the situation was grave. There was a decent chance that many of the Sar'nexar would meet their ends right here, only to make the operation more desperate for the survivors. But he knew that the real goal right now was Sa'rol.

Sirexx gritted his jaws as he contemplated the situation. Of all the prophets, their first opponent had to be Sa'rol. Not that it mattered anymore: if his old employer stood against him, he would fall. The walls of black fire hindered his movement but there was no time to hesitate anymore. If the insurgents wished to move forward, it had to happen now He stepped forward and headed for the sides of the right staircase. Every part of his body ached when he jumped over the flames towards Sa'rol. His chitin shielded him from the fire but not from the heat: he could feel his flesh burn under his armor.

Sa'rol's expression was as empty as it had always been since the ritual. There was not a mark of emotion left in them as he raised his hand to counter Sirexx's attack. He was ready to blast the Unseen with a giant bolt of dark energy, killing him instantly. But his fixation on the attacker left him vulnerable to surprises. As the prophet prepared to release the power forming in his chela, it was penetrated by a knife.

Sirexx had already considered himself dead when he realized that Sa'rol's reflexes was better than he had anticipated. When he saw the knife hit the foot of the chela, he took a quick look to see who the thrower was. The highly silent Svr'ash made a quick nod at him, as he the former continued his fight with a Protector. Sirexx wasted no time in capitalizing his newfound advantage.

A strike after strike sank into the prophet's six legs. Sa'rol tried to regain his initiative but the Unseen continued his relentless attack. Sa'rol felt like his legs would soon give up and falling to the ground meant certain death for any prophet. The larger qiraji begun a last, desperate effort to kill the Unseen by trying to burn the attacker's mind. He didn't manage to target Sirexx's head efficiently. A fast attacker with initiative was a deadly combination for any magic-wielder.

Sa'rol cursed under his breath as one of his legs finally broke under him. At this point the battle was over. The prophet fell to his side, completely defenseless. Sirexx approached his old superior with an exhausted, even stunned look. Unlike with Ra'jol, Sirexx didn't hold any sympathy for the hapless prophet. It was true that he had, for a time, been a fair and capable superior to him in the past but that was just a normal arrangement. He owed nothing to him, at least in Sa'rol's recent state. Sirexx spoke silently and coldly, not knowing or caring whether Sa'rol heard him.

"I don't know what you thought you would achieve with this monstrosity. In any case, you're not the Sa'rol I knew."

Sa'rol didn't answer but Sirexx heard another voice, this one from his head.

 _You are already dead. You are just entertaining your own false hopes. Whatever happens, all of you will fall._

Sirexx felt overwhelming coldness and fear at the voice but shrugged the horror quickly from his shoulders. Before further threats, the Unseen put his good chela around Sa'rol's throat and closed it. A loud snap could be heard and in a few seconds, Sirexx's old adviser was gone.

 _Kre'jess, A'ker, Sa'rol… They are all dead. Who's next? Me, Alt'hesh or Ra'jol? Heh, I'm beginning to believe the fallen are the lucky ones. Well, if we fail, none of that matters anyway._

"Great work, Sirexx! The fires will extinguish themselves without their caster! Prepare to move on!" The others were locked in combat with the eight Protectors who were vehemently moving to block the way forward. The prophet's death didn't seem to bother them in the least as they faced the enemy. It was clear that they were not going to withdraw this time.

The Protectors spread to two groups, four in each staircase both of them facing ten Sar'nexar. Their yellow eyes gleamed with malevolent zeal, their faces otherwise hidden by the pitch-black shadows of the night. Kritass felt nervousness rise within him as he closed the distance between him and the roach-like qiraji.

The final engagement happened in a split second as the rebels wished to finally force the shorter qiraji to reveal their secrets. Almost immediately they hoped they hadn't. Without even realizing what was happening, Kritass could feel his face burning with agony. It almost made him collapse to the ground and just wait for the end but he knew his mission. He could nearly literally feel his face melting but a gladiator would never give up to pain. Kritass would continue the fight, no matter what.

The Protector hissed silently, apparently annoyed by the gladiator's perseverance. As an answer, it begun to pull up its sleeves. For the first time, the creature revealed its chela which was but stump when compared to that of Kritass'. They seemed more like stingers than chelae. The gladiator's disgust at these misshapen monsters rose constantly the more he saw of their abilities. The other Sar'nexar hadn't been hit as severely as Kritass and he didn't dare look at them, as he was surely he himself would be horrified by his own injuries.

Kritass gave his all in an effort to quickly utilize his advantage in brute strength over the small and crouched creature but something about its behavior made him uneasy. Every part of it felt wrong and twisted, even more so than with the prophets. The latter ones had merely been subjugated into the Creator's will but the Protectors seemed to radiate his evil with their whole being.

Kritass put all his strength into a final attack at the creature's head, in an effort to crush the monster with pure brutality. There was no way the weaker opponent could repel his attack. Kritass stroke the creature with his full might… only to feel it being stopped by the Protector. The small and frail-looking chela was enough to stop the gladiator.

The larger qiraji looked dumbstruck at the Protector, their eyes meeting as both of them tried to overpower each other. Kritass regretted it almost immediately as he felt the yellow eyes boring into his very soul. They filled him with deep horror, as he was filled with premonitions about the horrors to come.

 _The Void comes for you… This tiny plain is just a sliver of the surface in the maze of cosmic rays… There's no reason to fight… in the end all life will succumb to Him…_

The low and rattling voice almost broke Kritass' resolve but he simply couldn't bear this any longer. For victory or defeat, he broke away from the lockdown of the chelae and hit the Protector in its head, buying him just enough time to penetrate his abdomen with his sword. Even the gladiators carried weapons, mainly as a way to finish off their opponents. As a final measure, he crushed the Protector's throat with his leg.

Even with the intense pain in his eyes, Kritass took a look around him, only to see that two of the Unseen had fallen to the Protectors but the rest of the crouched qiraji had fallen or were close to falling. The numbers were against them, they were only delaying the attackers.

"Please, give me a piece of your cloak. My face is destroyed, I must hide it in order to not to destroy our morale. I can still fight but please, help me retain my honor for this mission at least." Kritass asked the Unseen to his left in a pleading but firm voice. He faced away from him, not wanting even him to see what had happened. Many others had probably received some hits of the acid but no other rebel had received a direct hit of it to the face.

The Unseen took an apologizing look at his comrade and cut a piece of his cloak as Kritass asked. He only nodded to the gladiator and returned to the mission at hand. The latter tied the piece of fabric to his throat and used it to hide his face as well as he could. For now at least, no one could see his injury.

* * *

The way to the depths of the Temple was open but the many dark corridors leading far to the deadly underground was enough to fill even the most resolute of heroes with deep horror. Alt'hesh had arrived by Sirexx's side who was still quite overwhelmed by Sa'rol's demise.

"The Temple is as great as the rumors told… the Emperors are down there somewhere, with the Creator." Alt'hesh spoke in a mixture of awe and horror, eying the many openings in the maze of down-leading staircases. The massive hall was bordered by walls of sand and stone.

"Hope that you're wrong. If He's there, we'll stand no chance. We can fight Skeram, maybe even the Emperors… but not Him." Sirexx's voice nearly failed as he contemplated the chance of meeting the god of the qiraji in these underground tunnels.

"We'll fight anyone we meet down there. It is a miracle that every one of us is still alive. What makes a second miracle any more unlikely?" Alt'hesh tried to create the most genuine smile he could but it was still was far too forced to greatly heighten Sirexx's spirits.

"The courtyard is cleared! Kritass is severely wounded in his face and Tilrasha has broken one of her legs but she can still fly. We're ready to advance!" Yr'haxx's voice could still be heard behind the two. He spoke in a reporting voice but his pain at A'ker's loss was still very evident.

"Thank you, Yr'haxx. Everybody, come here! We'll continue immediately, there's simply no time to rest!" Alt'hesh raised his voice in order to call his comrades still waiting outside. It was only mere seconds until every one of the attackers stood inside the hall, ready to enter the underground network. Sirexx took a look at Kritass was taken aback by the improvised hood. Gladiators never hid their faces unless there was an excellent reason for it. Such an injury would cripple the gladiator for the rest of his life which wouldn't necessarily be a long torment.

"From now on, we have to stick together. The Temple seems to be a hopeless maze of tunnels and there's no telling where Skeram hides or what lurks in the other tunnels. We have to guard each other's back constantly." Alt'hesh ended his speech in a commanding manner, turning his back to the others and begun to descend into the dark, deadly depths.

* * *

 **With this chapter, we're going over 100 000 words... I never expected to reach that number. Originally I envisioned something like 70k but plans expand and change. I was actually going to put the attack on the Temple in one chapter but that after the overstretched Battle for Southwind, I guess it's a better idea to divide some of the longer episodes into smaller chapters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy today's installment and be sure to comment. Take care until next time! :)**


	29. Of Courage and Foolishness, Part 2

**Of Courage and Foolishness, Part 2**

An eerie silence filled the dusky halls of the Temple. Everywhere opened new hallways and rooms which were completely empty of everything: of objects, of life. Some of them were clearly dead ends whereas others simply ended in seemingly useless halls. A minute after minute passed as the Sar'nexar investigated the many rooms in the massive temple complex. Oddly enough, there were huge candelabrums lighting the way for the two dozen qiraji. The walls were covered in the same strange writing as outside but no one paid attention to the unknown alphabet. For all Ke'nir knew, they could have been in a completely other world judging by the writing and architecture.

 _We're going all the way to the bottom. The trap deepens with every step. I wonder how far we're being run until we find Skeram. He is here somewhere but it will be easy for him to hide as he knows where we move._

Ke'nir looked at the last staircase with great worry. At last the way seemed to steady but now they were far from the surface. This would easily prove to be a deathtrap but each of the rebels knew that the mission was unlikely going to be a success. Alt'hesh seemed completely unmoved by the descent: if anything, he seemed only relieved to have finally found a straight way. The seemingly infinite ways and dead ends stopped here, from now on there was only one way forward.

The short Unseen took a quick look around the corridor and one detail caught his eye. Whereas before the whole complex was completely walled by stone, here there were some parts of the walls missing, revealing parts of the surrounding earth. As if parts of the building were starting to crumble away. The air was getting even colder as the last vestiges of the desert's day warmth were restricted to the areas closer to the surface.

As the tunnel went on and on, the candles were becoming increasingly rarer. There was just enough light for the Sar'nexar to see where they were going and get a crude picture of their surroundings but not much else.

"Sirexx, what is this place? Why would anyone build this kind of tunnel beneath such a building? Of course they want to stay secretive but isn't this going too far!" Ke'nir didn't really like to break the silence but he was growing increasingly restless. If anything, a little chat would at least lighten the mood somewhat.

"There's no telling that. If someone told me this wasn't built by the qiraji, I would believe him."

"If the Creator is as almighty as you said, why would he need to be buried this deep?"

"Well, He is the Sleeper after all. If the name is accurate, He might fear that He'll sleep for an eternity."

"And needs firm shelter… But He's getting stronger, isn't He? That's what we were told…"

"Silence!" Alt'hesh suddenly hissed. He looked forward into the darkness, making his followers stop almost instantly. Long seconds passed yet nothing could be seen in the dark, cold corridor. Alt'hesh begun to take short, wary steps forward. He eyed the dark void in front of him and the walls but saw nothing. He begun to believe that he had only seen a trick of a light and waved the others to continue following him.

 **THUMP!**

Sirexx quickly turned to his left, at the source of the sudden voice. What he saw was two stunned qiraji… and a huge, gaping hole in the wall.

"Co'rash is gone!"

"It… took him!"

"What happened!?"

Alt'hesh tried to prevent a chaos from erupting and his cry managed to silence the others. A gladiator, who had walked behind Co'rash, begun to splutter, clearly afraid and confused.

"It was huge and orange… It came from the wall… It grabbed Co'rash in its jaws and was gone!"

Alt'hesh took a few steps forward to the speaker, as if trying to intimidate him in order there was something he hadn't told.

"What was it?"

"I don't know! It looked like a silithid but it wasn't! It's head looked like a scorpid , I've never seen anything like it…"

Alt'hesh took a quick look around him and tried to listen in case the creature was moving in the nearby walls. He tried to hearken for many seconds but heard nothing. He gulped and then turned to the others.

"Let's go and stay far from the walls. Skeram has more monsters in his command than we knew. Let's get him and escape this hellhole!" Alt'hesh took one troubled look around him and resumed the run.

* * *

After the incident, everything changed for the Sa'rnexar. The utter feeling of dread no longer periodically washed over them, it was now their permanent companion in the darkness. Each of them tried to listen to the dreadful walls around them, to get only one, desperate warning of the coming attack… but it never came. Time and time again one of them thought they hear something but afterwards he saw that it was a mere cockroach or simply a product of their own imagination.

Yet each of them knew the lurking death was moving around them constantly. Sirexx felt extremely ill each time the thought slipped into his mind, that a giant worm or scorpid was stalking them from the walls, only waiting for an optimal time to devour another one of the qiraji.

After a march of apparent eternity, another giant hall appeared in front of them. There had been many before but this was darker than the previous ones. No longer were there candles, no source of light. The little illumination was provided by a small lake at the right side of the hall. Not expecting a change from the long walk, Alt'hesh vibrated noticeably when a hostile sound called from the darkness.

"I'm shocked that Sa'rol wasn't able to stop you. No prophet has fallen in centuries yet here you are. I assure that it won't bring you any benefits, however. But before you fall, I'd still like you to reflect on your actions. Not only are you ready to abandon the Creator's paradise but you're also ready to come this far to prevent others from living in it?" The voice of a prophet rang through the huge cavern like an eerie laugh.

Alt'hesh stopped momentarily in case there was anything to be gained from this prophet.

"Where is Skeram and the other prophets? Tell me or die!" Alt'hesh spoke brashly and shortly as there was absolutely no sense in trying to negotiate with the larger qiraji.

"The High Prophet is seeking advice from their divine majesties in the halls behind me. But that matters little to you: your mutiny ends here. The Prophet deserves better than to be attacked by litter!" The prophet's voice rose sharply as he finished his answer. Five more prophets appeared behind him, each of them standing resolutely in line, blocking the way forward.

Alt'hesh was about to command attacking them when he heard a voice behind him.

"Cover!"

Each of the Sar'nexar jumped quickly to their sides as a huge ball of black fire suddenly illuminated the spot where they had previously stood. He took a quick look behind him and saw three other prophets standing behind them, slowly advancing on the rebels. At the same time, the ground was beginning to shake. It was clear for everyone what that meant.

"We can't fight eight prophets and a silithid swarm at the same time. Push forward! Our targets are near, we can't falter now!" Alt'hesh was spitting the words from his mouth, feeling the rage of desperation beginning to take over him. The Emperors were close but the prophets were resolute in stopping them from reaching the sanctum.

Sirexx eyed the five prophets warily. He had managed to defeat Sa'rol but five prophets could defend each other in case he tried anything similar. What was even more dangerous was that they were massing on their both sides. The Sar'nexar had to move swiftly or else they'd be mere sitting ducks, waiting to be incinerated.

The prophet standing in the center begun to form dark energy in his hands which could barely be seen in the dark cavern. The four others supposedly did the same even if Alt'hesh couldn't see it. If it came to that, the prophets would be overpowered by mere brute strength. After all the Sar'nexar did have a clear advantage in numbers. Alt'hesh regretted the coming losses heavily but locked his attention to the enemies in front of him.

The prophet raised his arm calmly and with a suddenly released the dark energy much more left than he had implicated. He smiled slightly internally as he heard a loud scream emanating from a fallen battleguard. The other four prophets formed defensive lines of fire around the five in order to slow the rebel advance.

Ke'nir quickly checked the injured battleguard and noticed that she was alive. One spell would kill only an already weak qiraji but Ke'nir was afraid at how much the prophets' new powers would affect the power of their magics. There was no time to begin treating her however, as the battle was heating up quickly. The first silithid were beginning to swarm from the growing holes in the ground, their numbers increasing alarmingly fast.

The fires proved to be only minor obstacles, trying to find a safe way around them being only a nominal hindrance to the Sar'nexar. The rebels approached the prophets very quickly, too quickly for Ke'nir. The prophets simply faced them stoically, unleashing their magic mostly upon the slower gladiators.

Ke'nir's fear became reality almost sooner than he had expected. As the large room was beginning to turn into a narrow corridor, in front of the prophets started to form two new holes, a massive form beginning to emerge from each of them. Two silithid colossi now stood in front of the prophets, creating a powerful hindrance to the advancing qiraji. Alt'hesh, however, didn't seem surprised in the slightest and he gave a swift order.

"Blind them! We don't have time kill them now, but blinded they'll be of no real use to the enemy!"

Alt'hesh couldn't help but feel fear rising inside him. He was only meters away from the giant creature, its giant insectoid head staring right at him. It was huge even by the standard of its species, almost double the height of a normal colossus. The High Ambusher's resolve nearly failed when the monstrous insectoid locked its eyes on him and beginning to its assault on the qiraji.

Ke'nir followed closely in his wake, joining his leader in the attack on the colossi. It tried to hit Alt'hesh with its proboscis, a blow which he managed to dodge rather easily. Ke'nir tried to hit the creature's eye with a knife but it hit too low. Alt'hesh on the other hand, had regained his balance and prepared to crush the monster's left eye when he quickly pulled his chela back. The cavern wall behind the spot where his chela had previously been was hit by a bolt of dark energy, leaving only a blackened spot in its wake.

 _I almost forgot that the prophets surrounded us! Our recruits did too good job in containing them and the qiraji! We have to hurry though, they won't be able to hold their ground forever._

The colossus turned sharply to its left, trying to crush the High Ambusher with its mere weight. This, however, left Ke'nir with a window of opportunity to attack the right eye. It was difficult to reach due to the creature's size so it had to either be struck from afar or when the monster was attacking and lowering its head. Each Unseen carried five knives for situations like this or for cases when the kill had to be swift and clean. Ke'nir took his second knife from his pocket and quickly aimed it at the creature's small, red eye which was turned away from him.

Alt'hesh was struggling to find an opportunity to land his own blow. The colossus was surprisingly fast, leading a brutal and relentless assault on the High Ambusher. The flurry of legs and proboscis was all he could think of at the moment, accompanied by the relentless advance on him. Alt'hesh knew he could stand his ground but it would be for naught if the silithid overwhelmed his followers. For better or worse, he had to make his move now. The High Ambusher inhaled deeply and prepared for a charge on the creature's eyes…

… Until the colossus emitted a cry of pain beginning stagger backwards. The qiraji stood puzzled for a moment by the development until he saw that the right side of its face was covered in the greenish-blue hemolymph. Its right eye remained ruined in its socket, penetrated by a medium-sized qiraji knife. Alt'hesh took a confirming look to his left and saw Ke'nir quickly nodding at him, confirming the course of action. Alt'hesh had used all his knives in the battle of the courtyard, meaning he had to strike down the other eye with his chela. The best opportunity was now that the monster was temporarily incapacitated.

Alt'hesh begun to run at his target, jumping on its proboscis and climbing closer to its forehead. The High Ambusher jumped from the appendage towards the creature's left eye, striking his chelae with all his might in the orb, shuddering with disgust as he felt the contents of the red ball beginning to flow in his chelae. He pulled the right one away and hit the eye again, this time a bit upper than the last time.

The colossus' shudders of agony intensified sending Alt'hesh flying from its face. The High Ambusher landed on his back, momentarily struck by a wave of pain. He lied still for a few long moments until he regained his senses. To his horror, he saw the blinded giant beginning to charge on him completely lost in its agony. In less than a second, he stumbled back to his feet, and run away from the giant's way. It charged past him, terribly crying in frenzy around the hall. The High Amusher didn't have time to revel in the victory when he heard a similar, slightly lower voice to his right. He turned quickly toward the other colossus, in order to confirm the source of the sudden outburst.

"Alt'hesh! Look out!"

The higher-ranked qiraji heard Sirexx's voice briefly before the other colossus hit him with its proboscis, half-blinded by Sirexx's blow. Alt'hesh crashed to the wall with a violent force. On top of it one of the prophets wasted no time in striking him with his spell, leaving the High Ambusher completely still.

Sirexx looked at his leader in horror, unknowing of the extent of his injuries. The Sar'nexar couldn't afford to lose their leader now as it would risk their organization on this critical moment. Whatever happened, they had to ensure Alt'hesh's survival.

 _That hit couldn't have killed him! Our kind is better than that! He must be alive but he won't be if we don't overpower the prophets now!_

Sirexx could see that many of the rebels knew what to do but they seemed quite unsure of the course of their action. No matter happened, Sirexx knew there were two things that had to be done in order for the rebels to survive the battle.

"Ke'nir, Kritass, make sure that Alt'hesh won't come to harm! Svr'ash, Tilrasha, Uvesh, come with me! We must take out the prophets!" Sirexx's voice was agitated and wavering by the sudden turn of events but the Sar'nexar followed his order without question.

"You did well at the courtyard but we cannot take out five prophets at once! I knew that we're just throwing our lives away for nothing here." Svr'ash spoke in an annoyed and silent voice at Sirexx. He was the first one to join Sirexx.

"Yet here you are. You're just as crazy as I am. And look, I have an idea…" Sirexx turned to Svr'ash and eyed him in a friendly, comforting expression.

"Then tell it to us! We don't have much time left to chat!" Tilrasha had already recovered from the hit she had received. Her mind was still cloudy and her flight unsure but for now, she was able to continue the fight.

"We saw their weakness at close range. No matter how hard they try, they cannot take three out Unseen before we reach them. We lock down their ability to harass our comrades keeping the silithid at bay, enabling Ke'nir and Kritass join us! Tilrasha has the best chance of us to deal heavy blows upon them due to her flight! We just have to ensure that she comes to harm from them!" A calm silence greeted Sirexx's plan, each of them registering the meaning of the words "they cannot take out all three". They knew the risks of Sirexx's plan. Yet they understood its logic. Each of them nodded to Sirexx's plan in silence.

The brown Unseen knew that no more words needed to be exchanged. His comrades had accepted his plan, signaling their will to entrust him with their lives. Sirexx decided that their trust to him wouldn't be misplaced.

Sometimes a mere shadow in the sun was enough for an Unseen to hide in from an enemy. In the almost pitch-black underground corridor, few combatants were more fearsome than the qiraji masters of stealth, deception and murder. Sirexx moved closer to the wall, absorbing every drop of darkness that could help him hide from the enemy. The prophets understood their disadvantage quickly, and retreated quickly deeper into the corridor. They wouldn't be surprised in the terrain of their own choice.

Sirexx could see barrages of shadows floating in the small space between the walls of the corridor. They were vaguer than the dark flames, implicating that they posed no real physical threat. In fact, Sirexx had seen their king only once prior: in the gorge massacre in Tanaris over a month ago. Back then, they made the elves collapse to the ground or making them flee in fear for reasons Sirexx couldn't even want to guess, even less know. It hadn't been physical pain but it had incapacitated the elves completely.

The dark remnants of the prophets' spell were becoming harder and harder to see. Sirexx could only pray that he would be able to withstand them better than the elves had. All four Unseen had to or else the prophets would be able to cut them down at a comfortable distance. It was at this moment that Sirexx begun to see the true extent of spell's viciousness.

"Sar'nexar, it's just a trick of the prophets! Whatever happens, don't stop!"

Sirexx's own voice broke down as he spoke. Even if he didn't slow down, his voice hardly brought more courage to his comrades. The brown Unseen's gaze didn't turn from the quickly approaching prophets but his mind's eye begun to turn cloudy. His legs didn't fail but of other details, Sirexx couldn't be sure. Mentally, he was temporarily dragged into a brown, lifeless land which he could identify rather easily even if he had never seen it.

 _Desolace… What, why am I seeing this? I must not fall prey to the spell! How can I escape this nightmare!_

 _Sirexx couldn't feel his own body and he wasn't sure if he even had one. The warm if sickening wind of the ill desert flew around him yet he didn't even feel it. Yet he knew that the prophets spell wouldn't have just thrown him here for no reason. There was a living nightmare here even if Sirexx hadn't met it yet._

" _Sirexx… I wonder if you still remember me? It has been so long… I trust you still carry on our legacy…_

 _Sirexx almost wanted to run away as he heard a voice he thought he'd never hear again. With fearful thoughts, the qiraji's vision turned to his left, revealing a most gruesome of sights. Before him stood something that had one been an Unseen, it's neck being long since nearly severed. Most of his right torso had been chewed away, most likely eaten as had been his leg. The creature's face was beyond recognition but his unchanged voice gave away his identity._

" _O'rel? Can… How can this be you?" Sirexx muttered at the newcomer. There was nothing more he could say now. Before him stood the last member of his original team, the one he had doomed with a foolish endeavor, so long ago… How could he face the former comrade he had caused so much pain? The deceased qiraji looked at Sirexx, his expression forever hidden by his terribly mutilated face._

" _You heard the centaurs got me and you know that what they do to the ones they best. Well, this is what became of me." O'rel's voice communicated little sadness but they were enough to haunt Sirexx. He may not have been responsible for the hapless qiraji's end but at least he would have met it with his old friends, rather than new teammates._

" _I'm sorry for this… I never paid enough attention to our teamwork. I should have but I was too young and prideful to listen to an "outsider's" advice." Sirexx couldn't look the deceased Unseen as he spoke, not after all that he had done._

" _You were. And it hardly seems that you have reformed your ways." O'rel cut his sentence short, leaving Sirexx puzzled by his intentions. He returned to look at O'rel's mutilated face with fearful yet curious look. The other qiraji then continued._

" _Here you are, throwing your life away, in order to ruin the future of our kind and doing your best to disgrace my legacy! Alt'hesh never cared for anyone other than himself yet the prophets always worked for the greater good. Ever since the War of Inception, our kind has…"_

" _That's enough." Sirexx suddenly said in a quick, unusually hard voice. O'rel's body language was turning increasingly hostile but he stayed silent, waiting for his former comrade's answer._

" _Our organization's whole purpose is to strive toward that goal. As you know, we're the Sar'nexar, the Rememberers. The name stands for our quest to remember our kind's common sacrifices and our culture. What you and our enemies forget is that each and every one of us fought once only to be able to live in peace and prosperity. There is no greater glory than to preserve our Empire, to advance its many achievements, to build and prosper. You may tell me about the coming paradise or our divine quest but let me tell you this: I've seen them and so has every one who is ready to remember the way we used to be. If I must die for this goal, so be it! But the one thing I don't need is unreal ghosts who disgrace my old comrade's memory!" Sirexx could see an agitated frown in the spectral being's mouth as he disappeared, along with the vision of Desolace. Once again darkness became to dominant color in the Unseen's sight._

"Sirexx! Are you alright?" He could hear Uvesh's low voice as he regained his senses. At first he couldn't see much but as his vision returned, he quickly spanned to his left. A large charge of energy bypassed him by mere inches, leaving Sirexx panting slightly in relief.

"I am… the prophets' magic nearly got me… never mind that, continue!" Sirexx quickly remembered the situation again and after a few seconds, joined his comrades in their assault. He could see the prophets' slight surprise at their perseverance but even then, they did something Sirexx hadn't expected.

"You will come no farther. You will drown in the sea of our servants. No lowborn creature has ever seen the Emperors' sanctum and you will not be the first!" Suddenly the silithid in the hall behind the four Sar'nexar turned even more restless, turning all of their efforts not to fight the qiraji but to simply bypass them. Sirexx looked at them with fearful gaze and gave the obvious order.

"Get in here! We must build our defensive lines here in the tunnel! We can hold them off for some time here!"

* * *

" _Where… am I? Is it over? Have …we failed_?" Slow, unsure questions begun to form where only darkness had reigned before. The complete unconsciousness was replaced by rays of light and pain. He felt an irresistible urge to try to ease the agony in his skull when he heard a loud voice speak to his right.

"He's awake! Alt'hesh, I don't want to make things seem worse than they are. It's a miracle you awoke this quickly and that's what matters now." The voice was familiar but Alt'hesh couldn't quite identify it as his head felt like it would be merciful if he hadn't awaken at all.

"What happened? Where are we?" Alt'hesh begun to form some idea about the questions but he needed some incentive to remember the details of the situation.

"We're in the Temple, fighting our way to Skeram. Sirexx is leading the charge against the last guards before him. We'll join them shortly. Hopefully you'll recover quickly." Alt'hesh could finally identify the speaker as Ke'nir, his mind slowly beginning to clear.

 _Sirexx is leading them? He isn't the first one I would have guessed… At least they carried on without me… while I'm here just resting. I must join them immediately!_

Unable to say idle while the battle was going on, Alt'hesh slowly begun rise to a sitting position, his back and head aching immensely as he did so. Kritass took his chela and spoke in a surprised voice.

"Are you sure you're ready, Alt'hesh? The hardest part is still in front of us."

"I really admire you Kritass: even with your grim injuries, you still think I have a reason to complain. I wouldn't dare to even face you if I'd just lay here while you are risking your life with your injuries while I lie here. There's no more time to waste, let's go!" Alt'hesh struggled to find his footing and nearly fell two times but eventually with great effort managed to rise up. His two aides ensured that he was capable of walking and begun to help him deeper into the tunnel.

The first two dozen steps caused the High Ambusher great pain but he swallowed it with great effort. He wasn't sure whether it was because of his still dulled nerves or quick recovery but his walking begun to ease swiftly. For the first time since his awakening, he begun to feel like himself again, not like a half-dead nameless qiraji.

"The silithid are beginning to close in! It was good that we began moving! We wouldn't have had longer." Ke'nir said in a matter-of-fact voice, acknowledging the withdrawal of their comrades into the tunnel. Alt'hesh didn't answer as he was still preoccupied with his still painful walking. He would recover in time and only in time.

* * *

Peraxx looked with fearful eyes at the silithid who pushed ever more forcefully against the defending Sar'nexar. Luckily, the silithid were mostly drones and reavers, meaning that fending them off in the tunnel would be possible for some time but sooner or later, the defenses would fall. Nevertheless, he would stand to his last breath. He had always been a very practical Unseen, not questioning his orders or leaving his mission unfinished. He would have never joined the Sar'nexar if it hadn't been to A'ker. He would have to honor his friend's wishes by seeing the rebellion to its end, one way or another.

"Hold! We make our stand here!" Peraxx could hear Yr'haxx yell a few meters to his right. They had reached the corridor, the vastness of the giant chamber having turned into a rather narrow passageway, surrounded by grey and brown rocks. It would be here that the silithid swarm would be stopped.

 _It is here where we'll fall if Sirexx and the others won't make a breakthrough…._

* * *

 **The battle for the Temple is about to reach its climax. We'll soon see whether the Sar'nexar have fought for nothing all along or does something good come from their risky endeavor. Whatever the outcome, you'll see it in the next chapter. I have a still unofficial plan to finish this story by year end. Before then, I'd appreciate greatly if you would leave some thoughts on how Treachery Among the Shifting Sands is turning out. :) As always, take care until next time!**


	30. Of Courage and Foolishness, Part 3

**Of Courage and Foolishness, Part 3**

CLANK!

Chela hit against chela as Sirexx started his assault on the leftmost prophet. The larger qiraji's expression changed little as he was forced to fight in melee. The prophets were also trained to fight chela-to-chela but never as thoroughly as in arts of magic. They knew the tactics of fighting and how to fatigue your opponent in a long battle but they still had a serious disadvantage. Their legs were disproportionally small in comparison to their body. Their towering height gave them the gift to cast spells from afar but left them extremely vulnerable to outflanking. A flaw that the narrow tunnel and their numbers mitigated greatly.

 _Uvesh, I hope you remember what we decided! We can take down this one if you attack him from his flank. We must get through fast!_

Sirexx was the first one to engage the prophet, paving way for his followers to try to break the prophet's guard. The defenders hadn't managed to stop the Sar'nexar despite the fires and magics they had used in order to hinder the attackers' assault. But they couldn't afford to lose: they were all that stood between the rebels and the First Prophet.

Uvesh followed on Sirexx's right side, a few meters behind him. He eyed the qiraji in front of him, trying to find the optimal place to attack. He could use a less dangerous approach, just joining Sirexx in close combat but he knew that the other Unseen needed all help he could get. He would have to make an all-or-nothing attack to his side.

* * *

Sirexx could see the prophet on his left preparing another spell but he was too preoccupied to try to hinder it. This prophet had to fall first in order to break the prophet ranks and give the rebels a chance to try to surround them. Sirexx took a few steps back from his opponent, waiting for a chance to strike at him. Suddenly, the prophet's gaze turned away from Sirexx and he quickly hit the attacker. Sirexx gritted his teeth as he watched Uvesh fall to the ground. The prophets hit was very indirect and hit only the Unseen's shoulder.

Sirexx wasted none of the time Uvesh had bought him. In a blink of an eye, the brown qiraji closed the distance between him and the prophet and before the massive insectoid could react, a large knife was stuck into his upper abdomen. He would bleed to death in mere minutes, his fate sealed by the hit. Sirexx quickly retreated, acknowledging his handiwork. The prophet would collapse soon and the prophets' defenses with him.

The brown qiraji set his eyes on the centermost prophet, trying to flank him with a swift move. He would give none of the gained momentum away. The wounded prophet was already wavering greatly, the greenish-blue hemolymph forming a sizeable pool in the floor already. Sirexx already counted him incapable to fight. An oversight that might have been a fatal mistake.

The prophet managed to regain his balance for little longer and suddenly swung his chela at the attacking Unseen. Sirexx briefly noticed something moving in the corner of his eye. However, before he could see what it was, he could feel himself tackled to the ground.

"Don't do mistakes like that! I see that you've done good job in taking the lead but you were always too brash for your own good!" Sirexx was highly surprised and relieved by the voice. A voice he feared he wouldn't hear again.

"Alt'hesh! You're alright! I feared we would have to complete the mission without you!"

Alt'hesh rose up and prepared engage the prophets. He said a final thing to Sirexx before his charge.

"No but you just might if you just lie there! We have traitors to kill!"

Alt'hesh could stand and move close to normal but he knew he hadn't fully recovered. Any kind of wrong move or injury would end his fight. Kritass took a look at his leader and attacked alongside him. Sirexx and Ke'nir prepared to fight the leftmost prophet who tried to join his comrades. The injured prophet's fight ended soon after his failed attack.

* * *

Peraxx gritted his teeth as he prepared to fight another wave of the attacking silithid. The fight was becoming increasingly dangerous as groups of wasps had joined the assault. Two battleguards tried to keep them at bay but it was mere minutes until they would be overrun. Many of the defenders were grievously injured by the relentless attacks. When the wasps got through the battleguards, the battle would be over. As the battle continued, Peraxx felt deep horror rise within him when he begun to hear rumbling from the walls of the temple…

* * *

Ke'nir felt the ecstasy of victory rising inside him as the third prophet fell in front of the Sar'nexar. Only two more stood between him and his comrades and the cursed Prophet. Soon everything would be resolved once and for all… The short Unseen could see similar sentiments in his comrades. They were close to victory, further than any of them could have even dreamed of. The last two prophets gathered into the middle, trying to hold the attackers at bay for a little longer.

None of the Sar'nexar wanted to give them any reprieve and soon all eight of them surrounded by the hapless prophets. They were ready for the final assault… until they heard a deep, raspy voice calling from the tunnel ahead.

"I don't even want to know how my pawns let you through. However, you will not deny the Ancient One's return."

By this point, Skeram's face appeared from the tunnel, slowly approaching the Sar'nexar. he showed no signs of aggression, only contempt at the two prophets who stood in front of the Sar'nexar, shuddering at the thought of what Skeram would do to them. The Sar'nexar waited how the Prophet would react to their intrusion.

"Know that the Creator has little use to servants who are incapable of preventing trash like these rebels from entering our sacred halls. It is time for you to leave this place." The two prophets were clearly distressed and fearful but they stayed still, ready to face the Prophet's judgement.

The massive prophet stayed still for a moment until he gently touched one of his trinkets. What happened during the next seconds filled Sirexx with disbelief and horror but most of all, with nausea. It was like the prophets' faces were blown up, their heads' contents beginning to spill out of their heads at an escalating rate. Their eyes were ripped apart by flows of blood, brain and bone. Their entire nose was destroyed by the disintegration of their heads. In a few moments, all that was left of the prophets were two bloody corpses on the ground, their heads rendered unrecognizable.

"You are very lucky to have made it here. I never was going to let you get this far but these fools were weaker than I thought. Now is your chance to get further than any lowborn before. Best me and you're ready to face their Divine Majesties." Skeram's voice communicated only only one thing: that the last thing he would do would be to let his promise come to pass.

Alt'hesh looked at the Prophet with horrified, hateful eyes. He had seen Kre'jess' eerie death but the bloody sight of the headless prophets chilled him to the bone. Alt'hesh knew only one thing at this moment: Skeram wouldn't escape this time.

"Take him out! End this madness!"

Ke'nir begun the attack on the Prophet, ready to face the final fight in their endeavor. What greeted him was Skeram's mocking voice.

"I know you're eager to kill me but know that you stand on hallowed ground. You will never beat every trick I have in mind…"

After his remark, a heavy gust of wind flew through the tunnel. It was like a cold touch on the skin of the Sar'nexar: an otherworldly being manifesting itself in an unnatural way. It was the aftermath, however, that brought the most horror to the Sar'nexar. The last lights emanating from the faraway halls were extinguished. The last lights in the unending maze of corridors died out, leaving only a tangible, terrifying darkness.

"Stay calm! Use your ears and antennae! We can still hear where he is!" Alt'hesh's voice was soothing even if it too was full of anxiety and fear. As if Skeram wasn't big enough of a threat, the new darkness brought the Sar'nexar a new disadvantage. Skeram would most likely be able to sense them by communing with the earth of the Creator.

"You will hear each other's creams before the end! The new age comes, regardless of how you choose to die!" Skeram's mocking voice could be heard in the darkness, a voice that might have been laughter if Skeram himself was still present. Now, however, it was only cold, emotionless, mockery.

Sirexx fought with all his might against the fear and tried to hear where the prophet was standing. It was extremely difficult to try to sense the enemy with his antennae over his own and his comrades' vibrations. After a long struggle, he managed to locate the Prophet. What puzzled him greatly was that it felt like there were two enemies. Sirexx dismissed the detail as a product of his own fear or some strange echo of his comrades.

"He's still in front of us! He cannot escape!" Sirexx yelled and begun to advance on the Prophet. Alt'hesh was by his side as he had also learned of Skeram's whereabouts. The others followed them shortly, unaware of the carnage that was unfolding behind them.

* * *

Peraxx stood on a growing hill of silithid corpses, as he continued his struggle. The five surviving defenders had gathered into a ring, trying to continue their stand as long as they could. Half of them had fallen under the onslaught. He himself had lost his left chela and received dozens of injuries to his torso, slowly feeling his consciousness beginning to flee him. However, the sensation eased his pain and helped him give his all. The prophets were starting to burn the silithid corpses, making even breathing hard for the five surviving defenders.

* * *

Sirexx was confused as he exchanged blows with his opponent. He hadn't used his magic and he felt like he was holding back parts of his powers. The Sar'nexar might be able to beat this opponent but something wasn't right. Skeram was more powerful than this. As he prepared to strike another blow on the wavering enemy, his left eye caught something that made his heart sink. Ke'nir had left his post and was charging right at him!

"Ke'nir! What's wrong, continue the fight!" Sirexx asked in a confused and fearful voice. Ke'nir didn't seem to pay any attention to Sirexx who looked in fear as his friend approached him with a murderous smile. The taller qiraji quickly understood that this was most certainly one of Skeram's tricks. No matter what happened, he would not kill Ke'nir because of some brainwashing.

Sirexx quickly charged at Ke'nir, trying to fall him into the ground and keeping him still until the fight was over. However, much to Sirexx's surprise Ke'nir didn't budge at all, Sirexx being the one to fall at the collision. Before the brown Unseen could rise from the ground, he could feel a huge pressure on his chest. He saw Ke'nir putting his leg on him, apparently planning to break his friend's neck with his chela.

 _He's much stronger than before! Ke'nir never was one to rely on brute power… Please, someone end this madness now!_

Sirexx felt panic rise within him as he waited Ke'nir's attack. Hehad closed his eyes in order try to keep his thoughts together in what very well might be his final moments. A moment passed after another and Sirexx still felt like he was alive. Suddenly he felt the pressure ease and he heard a loud thud to his right. Sirexx immediately opened his eyes and saw Ke'nir lying unconscious in the ground. A knife was sticking out from his lower back.

"Don't worry, he's not dead, just sleeping for a while!" Sirexx heard Uvesh's voice just behind him and he quickly checked Ke'nir's condition. Uvesh was right: he was still breathing. Sirexx felt intense relief at the knowledge: perhaps no one had to die because of Skeram's treacherous spells. The brown qiraji knew that he couldn't afford longer pause than he had already had. Skeram was still out there.

Alt'hesh looked in front of him with perplexed eyes. What greeted his eyes what mere darkness. Skeram had disappeared in mere seconds. There were only two possibilities on what had happened: either Skeram shared the Protectors' ability to teleport or… the one he fought was a clone?

"He can apparently multiply himself! He's still out there hiding somewhere but he cannot be far! We must find him!" Alt'hesh called to his followers who were likewise puzzled by the turn of events. Luckily the tunnel was straightforward so Skeram didn't have a real place to hide. The only thing left was to overpower him and find the Emperors.

"Cover!" Kritass' alarmed voice could be heard briefly before Alt'hesh could see a flash of bluish light flash through the room and feel overwhelming pain course through him. A few restrained groans could be heard behind him as he heard Kritass telling what he had seen.

"It was Skeram… He appeared behind us and quickly made that spell… he can teleport all around this place"!

Alt'hesh looked grimly in front of him, pondering his options. Skeram could duplicate himself and apparently teleport too. Killing this kind of enemy would be difficult.

"Keep an eye in all directions! As soon as he appears try to poison him! That is our best chance!"

"Your best chance is to lay down your lives now. Maybe the Creator will show you mercy… Whatever happens, you'll be wading through your comrades' viscera!" Skeram's voice was low and hissing as he spoke from the darkness.

Alt'hesh tried to keep his face as normal as possible but he couldn't deny that the situation was beginning to get too eerie for him. An immensely powerful creature could just appear in front of him and impale him if he so wished. The fact that his comrades were securing his back comforted him somewhat but not enough for him to feel comfortable.

"Spread out slightly! That denies him some of his possible mobi…" Alt'hesh's command was cut short by a surprising development. Two Skerams were approaching deeper from the cave and one from behind them. Kritass, Uvesh, handle the lone one! There's a chance that one of them is the real one, let's find out which one!"

Tilrasha looked at the two Skerams with highly suspicious eyes. They both moved slowly and didn't show a great amount of aggressiveness. Of course, that proved little as it was most likely a tactic Skeram was using to hide his true self. Fighting the clones was the only way to fight the true one. She and the two battleguards had the easiest time to battle the clones as they were very slow in comparison to her caste.

* * *

Sirexx took a swift, concerned look at Ke'nir who was still sleeping. No matter how hard he wished that his sleeping friend was standing on his side now, he knew his salvation lied in defeating their foe. Even if they still lived, Sirexx felt like he had already lost Ra'jol and Danoxx for good. The prospect of being forced to kill brainwashed Ke'nir was heartbreaking to him. He could only pray with all his heart that things didn't come to that.

The brown qiraji looked at the battleguards who were about to engage the clones. Their help made fighting the prophets easier and their flight made them invaluable against larger silithid. Skeram was much stronger foe of course but should the Sar'nexar be able to surprise him and destroy the clones quickly enough, there might be a chance to beat him.

Sirexx followed ten meters after Alt'hesh. He saw his leader running to the First Prophet's side and made a long cut to his side. Kritass faced him head-on and tried to lock him in a battle to buy time for his comrades. Another gladiator attacked the other close, just trying to keep him from attacking the others. Sirexx approached the leftmost Skeram and bypassed Kritass by a few inches as he fought to wound the Great Prophet. Skeram tried to hit the attacking Unseen but Kritass managed to dodge the chela. Sirexx delivered a hit after another on the large qiraji's side with his knives that were dipping with poison. If this was the clone, it would disappear soon…

"This one wasn't the real one! It's one of the ones in the front!" A voice called behind him, signaling that the third Skeram had vanished. Much to Sirexx's joy, the one he had stabbed hadn't.

"It's the one here! That's Skeram! Focus your attacks on him!" Sirexx cried, pointing everyone to deliver the decisive blows on the massive form standing in the darkness. All of the surviving Sar'nexar complied immediately, each of them willing to end the fight as fast as possible. The apparent Skeram begun to significantly hold back, using all of his strength to merely dodge the incoming attacks. He also begun to back down towards the fall. The Sar'nexar were encouraged by the Prophet's withdrawal, confident that they were attacking the real one. However, none of the attackers saw a slight smirk that was begging to form on remaining Skeram's face.

Tilrasha approached the surrounded qiraji's head, her swords ready to cut open Skeram's eyes. He would have no chance to deny her as that would leave him open for an attack from the Unseen. She and her two companions were could already see fear forming in their target's face. Very soon the blinded Skeram would be overrun…

A horrible cry rang through the dark halls. Sirexx looked fearfully around him when he felt a most terrifying of sensations: something warm was raining upon him from above. With an almost panicked sensation, he started to turn his gaze at the scene above him but another thing caught his eye before that. Tilrasha dropped from the air, landing only a few meters from Sirexx. With glazed eyes he looked at her remains: her whole upper torso was blown to pieces, her head and lower body landing at different spots. The sight of one more of his comrades being horribly mutilated by Skeram's evil was horrifying enough to forget the fight for a moment. All of the Sar'nexar looked at the scene with disgusted and sorrowful eyes but they knew that time for mourning wasn't now.

 _How could he do this! He had his hands full fighting us! He wasn't even facing Tilrasha at the time… Unless…_

Sirexx quickly turned around to see the supposed clone he and his comrades had dismissed. He was nowhere to be seen yet Sirexx could feel that he was still present. He had withdrawn further into the cave and used the darkness as a way to hide himself from the attackers.

 _But… I saw that the one we're fighting is the real Skeram… He didn't disappear when I wounded him, unlike the clones. What the hell is going on here?_

"It was the clone! He's still attacking us from behind!" Kritass' voice was heard as he made the same observation as Sirexx had.

"But he cannot! He's defending himself at the moment, he cannot have time to control the clone!" Alt'hesh answered in a dismissing voice.

"Apparently he can! Either we've underestimated him or we're attacking the wrong one!" Kritass answered to Alt'hesh as the two continued their assault on Skeram.

"Unlike the pathetic spells you've faced before, my clones aren't mere illusions! They are exact copies of me, capable of everything I can do. Yet none of that helps you, as I'll take you out one by one until the last one of you gives in to desperation and begs for mercy. We'll see if the Creator will grant it…" Skeram's voice could be from both bodies, the voice echoing in unison in the dark caverns. It was even more mocking than before, it was like a chilling, poisonous wind embracing a victim who was defenseless against its freeze.

Alt'hesh fell into fearful thought at Skeram's remark. There was no way they'd fail here, defeated by the enemy they were coming to kill. Both of the two clones would have to be taken care of or the Sar'nexar would fall one by one, as Skeram had foreseen.

"Sirexx and Kritass! Quickly, take the other one out!"

Sirexx knew it would be a long shot but he would have to risk wasting his poison on an impostor. There was no other way: without Ke'nir and Tilrasha, a long fight would soon become impossible.

"Kritass, engage him! I'll strike him with a quick strike of my poisoned dagger. It'll take him out in less than a minute." Sirexx whispered to the gladiator's ear. Skeram likely knew his plan already but there was no better chance.

Even to his own surprise, Kritass felt great relief as he faced the giant prophet. This enemy would more than likely be his final opponent but it didn't really matter to him anymore. Even if he lived, he would be a hunted outcast for the rest of his days, his all kind cursing his name. Moreover, even he didn't know the real condition of his face but he could feel the acid burning its way into his bones. He would roam the world as a misshapen monster from now on: even his friends disgusted by what he had become. Only the rest of his comrades mattered anymore: if he could help even some of the Sar'nexar out of the deathtrap, he would be happy, he would be relieved. And he would be able to join his already passed friends in afterlife.

Skeram faced the gladiator with hateful eyes until a flash of greenish yellow burst from his chela, similar in color to the one that had obliterated Tilrasha. Kritass blocked the spell with his limb but the Prophet's magic did its job. Kritass' chela exploded into a thousand fragments, cutting the limb halfway to the gladiator's shoulder. Kritass cried in pain but his eyes were fixated on his enemy. One way or another, he would buy Sirexx the opportunity he wanted.

The gladiator sprinted towards the Prophet, his eyes revealing his blazing fury. His thoughts were completely blocked by the red mist which guided his every movement. He dodged spell and chela after another and struck furiously at the prophet with his remaining chela. Skeram did his best in trying to keep his ground but the frenzied gladiator's attack didn't slow down. The Prophet couldn't keep track of his surroundings anymore, the desperate qiraji in front of him fighting like no one Skeram had seen in his long life. He knew Kritass would die before he gave him Skeram a chance to breathe. And at that moment, he felt it: a violent, stinging pain in his right side. He looked down and saw Sirexx pulling away his dagger from his body.

"You're done for, traitor! That poison would kill a dragon. You'll die a slow, painful death, monster!" Sirexx raged as he spoke to the qiraji who had taken so much from him. His home, his friends and his whole life was dragged away by this creature's treachery. He felt great pleasure watching Skeram's movement beginning to slow down and his body beginning to shake.

"You have won the battle, scum. But know this: the Creator's mercy is boundless to those deserving of his love. No poison nor weapon can kill His chosen prophet. I will recover in time but you will not leave the Temple alive. This is your last victory, as well as your last moments in this world. Farewell!" With those words, before either of the Sar'nexar could stop him, Skeram was gone, his destination unknown to the two dumbstruck qiraji.

"What… can we do now?" Sirexx whispered in a sadness-filled voice. He didn't expect an answer and he didn't get one. Where only seconds before voices of fighting could be heard, now there was no sound. The battle had ceased everywhere and the remaining qiraji could find no words to speak. Their defeat was absolute. They had lost most of their members and Skeram had escaped for good. Sirexx felt like he was about to collapse to the ground, completely beaten by the sudden turn of events. He was only stopped by a faint mumbling few dozen meters away.

Ke'nir was beginning was beginning to move slowly, his body still affected by the poison. He looked completely oblivious to the current situation, his thoughts clouded by his condition. He didn't have to wait long for someone to check his condition.

"How are you feeling? Are you free of his will?" Sirexx asked the obvious question rather bluntly but he wanted to make sure his friend was present, not the enemy.

"Whose will? Where are we?" Ke'nir's voice was extremely confused.

"We're still at the Temple. You can remember that, can't you? You were possessed by Skeram… but now he's gone." Sirexx's face fell immediately as he said the last words. He would have given his own life if that would reverse the fact. Ke'nir begun to remember the details immediately.

"He lives? Then let's get him! He cannot have escaped far!" Ke'nir begun to rise up as he spoke. His words were as much a question as they were a statement.

"We cannot… We have lost Tilrasha and many of our gladiators. Kritass lost his chela. The Emperors are in front of us… We cannot beat them, not anymore…" Sirexx spoke slowly as he wished nothing less than to acknowledge these facts himself.

Alt'hesh overheard the discussion and it opened many questions. With Skeram gone and their numbers heavily depleted, were they forced to try to leave with their lives and forget the Emperors? They would most likely fall but the alternative wasn't much better. In the end, there was no telling which of the two options was better. Alt'hesh knew what most of the others were thinking: they would have to confront the Emperors and hope for a second miracle. The fact that they had already made their way this far was already one.

"Comrades, I know what you are afraid that we've come this far for nothing. We may have. But one thing I want to do is to find out. If we leave now, we might live but on the other hand, what if the Emperors are weaker than we expected? Or a myth altogether? We are the first "lowborn" to have the chance to find it out." Alt'hesh moved to stand in front of the other Sar'nexar, waiting for their answer. The overall atmosphere was surprisingly calm, each of the present qiraji understanding their situation. It was time to break one of the most guarded qiraji secrets: confront the Emperoros and enter the deepest parts of the Temple. The die was cast: the Sar'nexar could only hope that fortune would be kind to them.

* * *

The absolute darkness soon begun to give way for a tiny flicker of light simmering from the distance. It was a welcome sight to each of the remaining rebels after their fight in the dark. The light soon started to grow, turning into a real beam which begun to cast its rays across the tunnel. Finally, a door could be seen opening into a huge room, its brightness still hiding the room's interior. None of the present qiraji no longer felt fear at the unfolding sight, only an overwhelming wave of pride to be seeing the upcoming sight.

"Hmm, mere rabble… Crushing their bones will be even too easy."

"Brother, we must make preparations for our guests. They deserve a treat for interfering our sanctum…"

"You are right, Vek'nilash. The Creator deserves his offerings…"

"Prove your worth, traitors. The feast of souls begins now!"

Ke'nir and Sirexx froze as they heard the manic, malevolent voices speak. As he entered the room, he saw a sight he thought he would never see. In the room stood two giant qiraji, only slightly dwarfed by Skeram. They were as long but of a more slender build. Their armor was red and purple, a color very rarely seen among the qiraji and now Sirexx knew why. It was a way for the Emperors to show their dominance, even when they were not seen.

"We have already beaten Skeram! Perhaps you are complete jokes in fighting! Why else would you be hiding in your Temple, hidden from sight? Perhaps you're too much of a bad joke to show yourselves!" Alt'hesh spoke in a mocking tone to taunt the duo, partly to calm his own nerves.

"You must be proud that you did. But Skeram is simply our puppet."

"No ruler needs to confront rabble. Skeram was a fool, only created to carry out our bidding…"

"You must give much more to beat us. Come, traitors!"

"Show us why you came this far…"

The two Emperors begun to run towards the eight surviving Sar'nexar. They showed no effort to shield themselves. They just run, oblivious to any kind of danger the Sar'nexar posed. Uvesh noticed this immediately and hid himself in the shadows in the left side of the room. When Vek'lor run beside him, he stabbed him into his leg with all his might. He couldn't believe his luck: had all these years of isolation made the Emperors this careless?

What happened next stunned Uvesh to the core. Even before his target went past him, he could see the wound healing itself immediately. Almost no blood trickled from the wound before it healed. Moreover, the Emperor showed no signs of poisoning. As if the whole attack had never happened. The Emperor didn't even look at him, acting like he hadn't even felt the stab.

Sirexx saw all this and he felt fear grow immediately as he saw the Emperors run towards him with terrifying speed. This would be an onslaught if the Emperors couldn't be wounded. Was it because of their trinkets? Had the Creator simply made them invincible? His thoughts were interrupted by a huge sword's strike which would have completely crushed him if he had dodged only slightly later. The battle was on: he would have to find a way to attack the two brothers.

 _Their legs are far too heavily armored, it will take a direct hit to even penetrate it! And even then, it will do little damage… even the battleguards won't have an easy time to hit them, they can very well guard each other!_

Whereas Skeram and the other prophets had fought with cold, emotionless demeanor, the Emperors fought with a violent and cruel, yet as if they were enjoying the fight. They weren't clearly giving their all and held back. Sirexx didn't know if it was because they wanted to break the attackers' resolve or if there was something he was unaware of. In either case, he could only be happy that the Emperors give their all into the battle as they would likely crush the Sar'nexar in seconds. This was a battle where there was no victory.

Alt'hesh seemed to understand this too as his fight became increasingly desperate as he tried to dodge the giant swords of his adversaries and land at least some hits on their legs. Uvesh's hit had been perfect as very few of the hits actually penetrated the purple, exquisite armor of the two twins. They were less detailed than Skeram's armor but was far tougher than the Prophet's. They were definitely worthy of the Emperor's in their colorful glory and great practicality.

As Sirexx turned his eyes upwards to take a look at the Emperor he thought was Vek'lor, his gaze was quickly answered. There was a faint glint in Vek'lor's eyes as he looked at the smaller qiraji and he begun a brutal assault on him. The two giant swords fell upon him and Sirexx was forced to dodge forward, trying to land a hit upon the Emperor's legs. He could hear Vek'lor's restrained laugh as he looked at the lesser qiraji's struggle. As he had expected the newcomer's were no match for him and his brother. It was time to end the charade.

"You were the first ones to break the sanctity of the deeper parts of the Temple! We congratulate you for that achievement." Vek'lor begun to speak first until he was interrupted by his bother.

"But your strength is failing. We tested you and you didn't pass. You are no longer worthy of our time."

"You were seeking to depose the sacred Creator and deny his return. For making it this far, we'll grant you one final blessing."

Vek'nilash initially looked confused but he quickly realized his brother's intention. Yes, his proposal was acceptable. Even lowly rabble as the rebels deserved a recognition of their valor. He voiced Vek'lor's thoughts.

"He has informed us of this "N'zoth's" intervention and his toxic lies. However, what he told about the Creator's being is true. N'zoth is His equal in power but He is a great evil and a disease upon this world and you fools believed in him. For that you will die."

"Like N'zoth, the Creator has a name, albeit a highly secretive one. You will be granted this one last blessing for your brave if misguided efforts. His true name is… C'thun." Vek'lor spoke the name coldly and slowly. His look was amused at the stunned yet hostile looks of his enemies.

Sirexx looked forward in shock. He had never assumed to hear the Creator's name and he had little idea that He had one to begin with. But more pressingly Sirexx was stunned that the Creator had known about N'zoth all along. Moreover, if what Vek'lor told was true, he had only traded his allegiance from an evil god to an even worse one.

 _No, we've all seen the truth by now. They're just as uncaring of the Creator's intentions as Skeram. They're lying… but it matters little if we die here!_

Sirexx's thoughts were cut short by a massive crash behind him. The giant orange monstrosity who had devoured Co'rash emerged slowly from the tunnel. Vek'nilash spoke one last time.

"You made a good try, no one can say otherwise. But it's over. We'll let the silithid take care of you." Vek'nilash and Vek'lor turned away and headed for the opposite door of the triangle-shaped room. From it begun to pour thousands of silithid: mostly reavers but also dozens of colossi. Also, from behind the giant orange silithid begun to emerge swarms of silithid. Alt'hesh understood immediately that against this horde, there was no victory.

 _How can we… Is this it… Think, Alt'hesh, think! There must be a way to escape! You have escaped from as bad situations, that's why the others follow you!_

He was almost ready to give up until an idea came to him. The orange monstrosity had to have a giant network of tunnels all around the Temple and with good luck, they just might lead all the way to the surface. That would be the only chance.

"Everyone, try to get back into the tunnel! We must find the orange fiend's tunnel! Gladiators, go first! Try to clear a way for us through the silithid!" Alt'hesh's voice broke as he spoke and he sounded almost pathetic. However, none of the others were in any better mental condition at this point. Kritass and a newer gladiator recruit placed themselves in front of the Unseen, using their larger strength and size to quickly move towards the tunnel. The two groups collided just before the door into the tunnel.

Kritass was extremely weak from all his injuries and he knew he wouldn't be able to fight much longer. The tunnel had to be close or he would fall from mere exhaustion. Even if the gladiators cleared the way, the Unseen didn't have any easier time, trying to keep their flanks clean. The reavers were extremely powerful and brutal, each of them capable of crushing the entire torso of an Unseen with their jaws. They, however, lacked intelligence and strategy which gave the qiraji a great advantage, at least for a time.

The advance only became harder as the tunnel's pitch-black darkness surrounded the Sar'nexar once again. The gladiator antennae were less receptive than the Unseens' for practical reasons. Gladiators were most of all fighters, their eyes being their main instrument in finding the weakness in their enemies. Unseen were first of all assassins, their blade finding their enemies even in the darkest night. The two gladiators had to be guided by the Unseen to avoid the colossi and to find the tunnel which might be their only escape.

Every step Sirexx took felt like a step towards an unknown demise. They had managed to bypass the giant silithid but there was no telling when it would find the Sar'nexar again. The death might could have come any moment from the darkness. The rebels hardly managed to contain the silithid swarm from consuming them with pure mass.

"It's fifteen meters that gently to the left! It has to be, there cannot be such a groove otherwise!" Alt'hesh cried with a relieved yet anxious voice. Their rescue was only meters away but their demise might be even closer. Sirexx saw nothing but he, too, could slowly beginning to feel the cavity in front of the Sar'nexar.

"We're there! Get in, now, we'll hold them off!" Kritass said as he saw the tunnel open in front of him. It was easily large enough for all of the Sar'nexar to fit inside. A prophet would have had a hard time but for the smaller castes the tunnel was as wide as a built corridor.

"I'll stay with you two! All others, get in!" Alt'hesh commanded as he moved to Kritass' side. The silithid swarm was growing stronger by the second, more and more colossi beginning to come into the High Ambusher's view. He was happy that the colossi would never fit into the hole and they might be able to get away from the huge silithid.

The reavers were beginning to grow more aggressive. They made relentless attacks at Alt'hesh's legs, hoping to tie their jaws around them and crush the bone within. Alt'hesh knew a broken leg would be a death sentence, as he would never outrun his enemies with one leg. Kritass was having an even harder time as he couldn't properly guard his left side due to his missing chela.

* * *

Kritass' emotions were increasingly conflicted. He had already waited for death many times tonight yet miraculously he was still standing. On the other hand the pain in his face and chelae lingered and occasionally it felt that they actually intensified. Even if he survived, would his life be mere misery after tonight? Would falling in battle actually be preferable to living with disabilities?

He tried to hold the attacking insects feverishly at bay but the fact that his left side was practically open for an attack made his endeavor only more desperate. The gladiator gritted his jaws as a rather large reaver tried to attack him. He attacked the creature immediately, trying to take it out before it could surprise. His attack was parried and he was forced back. During the fight, one detail had escaped his sight. Another reaver was jumping at him from the other side, aiming for his head. Its jump was, however, stopped by a blow from its left.

"Be more careful, Kritass! This one nearl..." Suddenly Alt'hesh's voice broke as he felt a sting in his upper back. His mouth begun water slightly as he felt the pain ease somewhat. He could hear a whack behind him as something was crushed. Alt'hesh turned around to see Yr'haxx standing above a giant obliterated silithid wasp.

"Are you alright, Alt'hesh? It hit you." Yr'haxx knew the seriousness of a wasp sting but hopefully the sting wasn't too severe. Maybe it was just a scratch. Alt'hesh panted a few moments before he found the strength to answer.

"Yes, I'm fine… Let's go!" The High Ambusher tried to sound as normal as possible but it wa clear that he was simply putting up an act. Yr'haxx looked at his leader for a moment but he knew that lingering here would accomplish nothing. Maybe they would find way to treat Alt'hesh later. Kritass took a concerned look at Alt'hesh but quickly ran after him. The largest silithid wouldn't be able to follow into the tunnel, maybe the worst was already over.

* * *

The tunnel begun to immediately slope slightly upward. It was surprisingly straight and flat. There were large rocks here and there that occasionally tripped someone. The silithid didn't give up as they flooded the tunnel immediately. Keeping the drones and reavers away from the Sar'nexar wasn't an easy job but none of the Sar'nexar intended to die at this point. Alt'hesh panting became increasingly violent but he could keep up with the others. Even as his condition deteriorated as the poison spread in his veins, he hadn't given up. The rebellion had taken a major blow but he wouldn't abandon his followers until he was forced to.

"The tunnel is forking! Which way is the right one?" Uvesh asked with an obvious concern. None of the options seemed to rise any higher. The other option continued forward but the other one turned right.

"Let's go forward! The other one is likely to turn back into the Temple! Anything that's not going backwards is the way we're going!" Alt'hesh's voice had begun to weaken somewhat but it still carried the familiar authority and friendliness.

"But if I'm at the map at all, this goes towards the west! We'll be forced to retreat farther away from Un'goro or Feralas!" Sirexx was already considering their escape from the clutches of Ahn'Qiraj.

"Then we'll go for the mountains! First we must shake off our chasers!"

* * *

Ke'nir was beginning to feel the fatigue beginning to grow inside him. They had already run for minutes on end, mostly uphill, trying to not trip to the rocks that rose up everywhere in the darkness. Ke'nir was mentally closed by now: there was too much to contemplate about tonight that he wasn't even capable of thinking about right now. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a sound that made his blood run cold: a deep, powerful rumbling from inside the wall. He knew immediately what was happening.

"Everyone, jump to the left! The giant silithid is…!" Ke'nir's sentence was silenced by the breaking of the wall and the emergence of the orange monster. Everyone had had the time to cover from the creature's charge but the danger was still apparent.

"Continue running! Try to outrun it!" Ke'nir's cried his obvious advice and there was no qiraji who didn't comply. Maybe, just maybe, such a colossal creature wouldn't be able to move as fast as the qiraji…

It was like a sensation of a nightmare. Sirexx knew that a deadly monster was just behind him but he couldn't look at it: he had to put all his efforts to running and avoiding potential tripping. All he could see was more darkness in front of him, the only things sticking out of it being the dark forms of his comrades. He could hear the creature's advance and the only thing Sirexx could tell of it was that it wasn't at least losing distance to its prey. Sirexx could feel the exhaustion beginning to envelop him, slowly strangling his stamina and finally felling him to the ground, forever.

Alt'hesh's condition was only worse. His senses were already fading and he couldn't feel the terror swelling inside him. Instead, he felt only pain. Stinging pain in his chest and the realization that his feet would soon no longer obey him. They were like sticks already, sooner or later they would give up.

 _We've probably only risen some two floor out of seven… I'll never make it. What great leader I am: I can't even lead my followers to safety! We'll all die like rats in these cursed tunnels… Unless…_

Alt'hesh took a look at his trinket which was sewed into his dark blue sleeve. He had used it very rarely as he had wished to stay at the level of his comrades and fight alongside them in every way. Although he knew that there were more conceited motivations to it: he wished to prove to himself his own abilities by holding back a piece of his strength. Soon none of that would matter anymore and if he could save his comrades, he would do it willingly.

The small, amber-colored jewel was of a rare, little-known mineral reportedly from the unpopulated isles far, far away, beyond the northern shores of Kalimdor. Only the one group of Unseen had ever visited them but they had brought this stone with them. It was sacred stone of some bear-like creatures and their shamans could form powerful magics with it. The expedition was almost turning into a lost errand until the Unseen set their eyes on the stone… the stone that was granted to Alt'hesh.

The bear-creatures had used the gem to try to cure grave illnesses. Alt'hesh hd heard that it was able to cure diseases that would have killed a member of any other primitive civilization. The important part of its usage to the qiraji was the way it worked: if the user knew what he was asking, he might be able to call the surrounding elements of nature to contribute some of their strength to a just cause. Alt'hesh had used the stone rarely: sometimes it worked and sometimes not but now Alt'hesh was sure. It would have to work and cut the monstrous silithid's way.

Suddenly, Alt'hesh stopped on his heels and turned around. He was taken aback by the sight that faced him. The orange giant was barely a dozen meters away from him and it advanced with a huge pace. Alt'hesh nearly fell at the sight but he managed to hold his ground. What happened next was a complete chaos for everyone involved.

The High Ambusher touched the gem in his sleeve. It begun to glow bright brown as the Unseen touched it. As he watched the silithid charge at him, he heard Yr'haxx's voice call to him.

"Alt'hesh! What are you doing, flee!"

Alt'hesh turned his head slightly in direction of his friend's call. He answered in a voice that was only barely audible to his followers. His voice was serious but held no lament.

"The poison sealed my fate… Go, now! The monster's road ends here!"

The tunnel begun to crumble, first slightly, then with increasing volume until the entire tunnel begun to crumble. The silithid reached Alt'hesh who was already struggling to stay on his feet. The High Ambusher faced the monster calmly, his nerves already consumed by the spreading poison. His thoughts flowed quickly through his minds as the massive silithid closed in around him. He felt disappointment by today's events but on the other hand he was happy to see his comrades live through this.

 _Come here, monster! We'll leave this hellhole together! Ke'nir, Yr'haxx, Sirexx, do your best. We all did…_

Yr'haxx emitted a panicked wail as he watched his second close friend being mutilated and swallowed whole in front of his eyes. He could see only a dark silhouette being ripped apart until the gruesome sight was overshadowed by the intensifying tremors. It was like the whole network was going to collapse. Sirexx's broken, unbelieving voice broke the silence of the last Sar'nexar.

"It's collapsing! Run! Alt'hesh bought us a chance, let's honor it!"

Yr'haxx was the last one to register Sirexx's words as he watched the first major rocks beginning to fall upon the orange monster. It desperately tried to escape its tomb but its struggles were ended by a total collapse of the cave section. Nothing would be left from today's events. The monster and Alt'hesh were buried together, their tomb would never be disturbed again.

* * *

Each second the last Sar'nexar walked in the darkness seemed to stretch into hours. Only Uvesh was spared by the great emotional costs of Alt'hesh's loss as he had never known him as well as the others. The six remaining qiraji walked like a funeral procession, silent and orderly. Even in crossroads, the qiraji would only look at each other and nod to affirm their consensus. Each of them moved in their own worlds, whether in mourning, complete emptiness or regret.

The warm sunshine of an early morning shone on the desert. Its warm rays penetrated their way into a small opening in the foot of the western mountain range of Silithus. Ke'nir was the first one to see it but the sight invoked little jubilation. Alt'hesh was gone forever, their rebellion in shambles… what was left for him and his comrades? Everything lied in ruins.

Sirexx would have wanted to just collapse to the ground and let the earthly worries just drift away. However, he could see that his last comrades were even a worse condition than he was. Just before the opening he finally broke the silence.

"Let us rest here. We must keep our location unknown. Later, we must make our way towards the mountains. We have to find sanctuary somewhere… We owe it to Alt'hesh and the others to do our best to survive." Sirexx's voice wavered as he spoke but his comrades complied. Sirexx tried to keep himself together: the coming days would determine whether the last Sar'nexar would follow their fallen comrades or be able to escape the clutches of the prophets.

* * *

 **The attack of the Sar'nexar is a failure and the last hope of the survivors is to try to escape to a place where they're safe from the prophets' madness. Will they be able to build new lives away from the war or will they join their comrades in death? We are nearing the end of the story and I hope you'll enjoy the last chapters... The next one should be completed soon. Take care until next time!**


	31. Farewell to Homeland

**Farewell to Homeland**

Danoxx slept uneasily. He tugged slightly on his mattress as uncomfortable thoughts begun to invade his unconscious mind.

 _The red sky enveloped the rugged terrains around him. Behind him opened a wide chasm which Danoxx identified as the edge of the Thousand Needles and Barrens. It wasn't the location that perplexed him however, it was the unnatural sky and constant lighting storms. There were no living beings to be seen, only elemental chaos and dead landscapes. Before he could begin to panic at the sight, a familiar voice called to him._

" _At last it is over, Danoxx. The Creator has fallen. The lands are free from his domination." Danoxx was heavily startled as Sirexx's voice spoke to him._

" _Sirexx? What is this? Where are we?"_

" _The better question is where we aren't. You may think that this is a living hell but we saved you from far worse…" Danoxx begun to get agitated at Sirexx's outrageous words._

" _Worse? It cannot get worse! This land is dead, Sirexx! Are you out of your mind?"_

 _Sirexx watched his High Ambusher with arrogant gaze as he spoke again._

" _I'm not the only one. The Creator would have corrupted this land, whereas we destroyed it. We saved it from becoming a home of a monster."_

" _We? Who else is with you?" Danoxx was already lost in confusion when another form appeared next to Sirexx. It was Ke'nir who spoke with as smug voice as Sirexx._

" _We two. No one else believed us so we had to improvise. You were on the wrong side of history, Danoxx. It is time for all of us to go to our rest."_

* * *

"High Ambusher! Come with us at once." Danoxx woke with a huge gasp, greatly startled by his sudden awakening. He looked at the speaker who was a rather large gladiator.

"What is the matter? Are the elves attacking again?" Danoxx asked an obvious question but the gladiator's expression told that there was something more amiss.

"Pax'lish wants to see you immediately. All I can say that Ra'jol has something urgent to tell you. If the Brigadier General agrees, you better hurry!" The gladiator looked almost hostile and Danoxx knew that he didn't have the luxury to keep Pax'lish wait. He quickly put his cloak and other equipment on and followed the three gladiators.

* * *

Ra'jol was waiting in the central tent of the sprawling qiraji camp. His normal self-confident demeanor was gone and he looked almost lost. The large qiraji turned his gaze slowly at Danoxx who arrived from the tent's door. Ra'jol didn't want to tell Danoxx the news but he had to. The future of Ahn'Qiraj was at stake.

"What is the meaning of this? What has happened, Ra'jol?" Danoxx asked clearly concerned. It was clear that the answer was going to be very unpleasant. Pax'lish, who was standing in the back of the tent, was the first to answer.

"Perhaps Ra'jol would like to tell you. Let's say it has something to do with your subordinates." Pax'lish's voice was mocking and it dipped with poison. Ra'jol begun to speak next, his voice being firm if mournful. His chelae were crossed on his chest.

"Sirexx and Ke'nir attacked me last night. I noticed that they were doing something suspicious." Ra'jol took a pause as Danoxx looked at him, completely stunned by the revelation.

"What! How did this happen?"

"I don't know but you remember the odd rumors and sabotage of the last weeks? Sirexx and Ke'nir were behind them. They may have had help but I don't know from whom. In any case, you won't believe what those two were planning. When I made my appearance, those two psychopaths were planning to attack the Temple and slay Skeram! I tried to speak reason to them and they attacked me… but spared my life."

Danoxx didn't know what to say. He wasn't prepared for this revelation nor could he truly believe it. It turned so much in what he believed upside down. Were his two friends really behind all this? And even then they had spared Ra'jol's life…

"Where are they now? If this happened last night, they might already be in the Temple…" Danoxx's voice was silent as he muttered his response. Pax'lish was the one to answer.

"They tried and failed. Only a fanatic or a suicidal moron tries anything like that. Most of the cursed rebels fell but Skeram tells your "friends" are still alive…" Danoxx was close panicking as he realized what Pax'lish meant. Danoxx had already failed once, two rebels from his team didn't create trust between him and Ahn'Qiraj. He was being told to hunt down and kill the two.

"Surely there is another way… Maybe they were just overwhelmed by our power…"

"Whatever the reason, open attack against Ahn'Qiraj cannot be tolerated. You must hunt them down." Pax'lish's voice was resolute if not malicious.

"He's right, Danoxx. Anyone who kills a fellow qiraji willingly has sealed his fate. We have no choice…" Danoxx could see from Ra'jol's expression that he was far from convinced by his own words. He was seemingly shocked by the recent events and his thoughts were far from clear.

"We are granting twenty qiraji to your aid. There are six survivors… You are more than capable of finishing the job. Don't fail me again, Danoxx." The High Ambusher didn't answer to Pax'lish's command. He simply nodded and turned away from the Brigadier General. Ra'jol followed him shortly. The hunt was soon beginning, the hunt none of the two Unseen had ever foreseen, even less desired.

* * *

The slopes of the mountains surrounding Silithus were extremely steep and but contained some pathways where climbing was possible. The mountains provided some kind of hope of hiding from the gaze of the wasps and most importantly, Skeram's ability to track the enemy's movements was limited to the desert regions of Kalimdor. At least according to Alt'hesh's recalling of the events, Skeram had been completely lost during Un'goro campaign.

Sirexx took a look at some hills in front of him. The Sar'nexar would have to get into the deep gorges and valleys in the mountains to have a chance of avoiding the inevitable chasers. He looked back one last time to look at the desert below him. Far in the distance could be seen the walls and Temple of Ahn'Qiraj. They gleamed brightly in the morning sun. Decades ago, that would have meant another happy day training with Idh'lash and O'rel, games of Me'lesh and expeditions into the desert. All of those memories were now foreshadowed by today's events and by Skeram's evil that lurked deep below the Temple. Sirexx ripped his eyes from his old home for the last time, trying to keep his mind under control. With a sad voice, he suddenly said.

"We must decide our destination. We need a direction."

The others turned to Sirexx. All of the survivors were still somber but escape from the Temple had swept the despair away.

"There's no place to go. There's no place where either the prophets or the elves wouldn't hunt us down." Yr'haxx answered quickly, his mind completely overshadowed by A'ker and Alt'hesh's deaths.

"The tauren wouldn't be any more sympathetic… the qiraji are hated everywhere." Uvesh's voice turned extremely serious as he said the last sentence.

"There might be one refuge for us… There's a place where the qiraji haven't probably entered in ages? I visited the marshland north of the Thousand Needles long ago… there lived no intelligent creatures. It was worthless to us back then... but I think it could be the shelter we need."" Ke'nir joined the discussion, his knowledge in the remote regions of Kalimdor proving useful once again.

"Marshland? There's a reason why qiraji would never go there: the air's too moist, it isn't fit to house qiraji!" Svr'ash answered sharply.

"Exactly! They'll never find us there. We can make it, we have other choice really. Or do any of you have better ideas?" Ke'nir offered. He looked inquisitively at his companions.

"Well… Desolace might do the trick. Or those mountains north from it." Uvesh said in an unsure voice. "Those are more hospitable places for us."

"No, Desolace is regularly patrolled by tauren, we'd be caught sooner or later and I've read that at least parts of those… Stonetalon, that's the word, mountains are under elf control. They're too close to our enemies." Sirexx had never visited those lands but from what he had read, they didn't sound like safe sanctuaries.

"Even if we wanted to get to those damned marshes, we'd have to cross either Un'goro or Feralas!" It'll be a long shot to even escape the qiraji lands." Yr'haxx gave a pessimistic outlook that matched his mood.

"Actually, we might have a chance if we move only in the mountains and forests. At least in the open the wasps will spot us in minutes." Svr'ash was beginning to see the point in Ke'nir's proposal. With any luck, the bog would be only a temporary sanctuary.

"We must begin moving though… the wasps will be searching these lands sooner rather than later. We must move today and probably tomorrow north. We must try to find a safe, hidden passage, through these mountains." Ke'nir said to his comrades. He turned to face to the west. There was a narrow pathway leading out of the cliff deeper into the mountain range. Ke'nir knew its interior better than most qiraji due to history in long-range teams and he would use that knowledge to guide his friends to safety.

At the other side of the first round of peaks appeared a gorge, its bottom at least twenty meters below the Sar'nexar. A small river flowed at its bed, flowing gently towards the northwest. Around it was lush vegetation, in sharp contrast to the surrounding desert.

"We need to get under there, the river might provide us enough cover for the moment… sadly the river won't take us very far…" Ke'nir told as he begun to descent. Most of the qiraji were adept at climbing walls, their chelae providing them with enough support.

Sirexx looked at the river curiously. He knew about its existence but ´Ke'nir found it without the least of problems. His friend would prove a valuable asset: without him, the last rebels would be spotted before the day was over. There was one thing that bothered him however. He spoke silently as he didn't want the others to hear the discussion.

"Ke'nir, is it possible that the prophets would send Danoxx and Ra'jol after us? We did them quite a disservice by making them teammates with traitors." Ke'nir nodded as he realized what Sirexx meant.

"You're right… The more the reason for us to stay hidden. I bet they will send a far superior force against us and to oversee that the two will do their job." Ke'nir said in thought.

"I cannot help but think what they must think right now. I wonder if they hate us or themselves more."

"We gave Ra'jol a chance, Sirexx. He as well as we chose our parts in this struggle. If there won't be a miracle, each of us must walk the paths we chose all the way to the end. We no longer owe each other anything." Sirexx watched at Ke'nir oddly. His friend spoke like he was already at peace with the reality. Even too much so.

"Ke'nir, these are Danoxx and Ra'jol were talking about! Are you prepared to kill them in cold blood because of tonight? They weren't the ones guilty for Alt'hesh's and the others' deaths!" Sirexx tried to see Ke'nir see reason.

"The question isn't about their guilt but we are their enemies now! Even if they regretted it, they would kill you in order to appease the prophets." Ke'nir spoke more silently as he to speak more restrainedly.

"As would we. You may be right that we have to live with our decisions but I'll never see them as enemies. I'll never learn to hate them and neither should you. Maybe if we manage to escape and the elves somehow win the war, who knows what happen? Maybe we could return home someday." Sirexx didn't believe his words himself but he had to make Ke'nir see reason or at least stop being unreasonable.

"Not in a thousand lifetimes… You may live in your bubble, Sirexx, but for now, we have more urgent matters to attend to…" Ke'nir reached the bottom of the gorge and waited for the others to follow him. They would have to try to slip into the shadows before they could be found.

* * *

Danoxx looked grimly at the gladiators around him. They looked like statues, completely emotionless and marching in perfect rhythm. It wasn't rare among the gladiators but what really bothered the High Ambusher were their mission: to oversee that he and Ra'jol didn't fail this mission. To confirm the death of his subordinates.

The mountains were already in clear view: it would be a few hours until they would reach but the day was still young. With "luck", the rebels wouldn't have been able to flee far. Perhaps the wasps would be able to spot them, maybe he and his companions would be able to complete the mission before nightfall.

However, Danoxx was highly unsure whether that was what he wanted. Unlike Ra'jol, he couldn't bring himself to judge his two wayward friends, let alone willing to kill them. Maybe, even though he hesitated to admit that even to himself, he could have even joined the rebels if asked. He had staid loyal to Ahn'Qiraj mostly because he knew the higher leadership personally and trusted them. The problems with the prophets had begun merely yesterday and his emotions were highly contested at the developments. But Danoxx knew that hesitating now would be out of question: the rebels were beaten and joining them now would be a suicide.

He took a look at the sky. Dozens of wasps were approaching the mountains by the minute. He couldn't help but hope and fear at the same time that they would reveal Sirexx and Ke'nir's position.

* * *

"They're coming! Hurry, everyone hide in the bushes!" Uvesh hissed as he saw the growing black spots in the sky. At first, only the gentle ripple of the river could be seen but soon the beating of the wasps' wings started to intensify. All of the Sar'nexar knew that the wasps were practically blind to stationary objects.

"They're not leaving until they find us! We have to start moving or else we'll be caught sooner than later!" Svr'ash hissed under his tongue.

"He's right. We came here to find shelter in the vegetation! Let's try moving without the insects seeing us!" Uvesh answered, trying to make their point clear. When none of the others answered, the two others started to move on their own. Yr'haxx tried to prevent it but Sirexx stopped him. He wanted to see if the two could move unseen. Yr'haxx looked the brown qiraji for a moment but decided to comply with his proposal.

Svr'ash moved as quietly as he could. The bushes were large enough for an Unseen to move undetected but Kritass would have a harder time. Not only was he larger but the gladiators weren't trained for hiding. However, he didn't have a choice. If the Unseen went first, maybe that could give the maimed gladiator more hope.

There were small sticks lying everywhere in the ground. The dusty earth revealed them rather starkly and they were easy to clean up from the way. The branches would likely rasp easily so they had to be handled tenderly. Luckily the river silenced the more silent voices, giving the Sar'nexar some room to breathe. Until Uvesh slipped slightly, sending a few rocks rolling to the open. A slight dust rose to the air.

Yr'haxx gritted his jaws in fear. The wasps had an excellent vision: they might see the dust. All of the rebels stopped, looking whether the wasps saw anything. Long seconds passed, with the swarm of wasps seemingly just searching the surrounding peaks and pathways. Until one of the insects begun to descent into the river gorge. It headed right for the place the slight dust had risen.

Uvesh looked at the wasp in disbelief. Had he, with the slightest of mistakes, doomed himself and the others to death? He closed his eyes and prayed, to no one in particular, in his mind that the wasp would leave without seeing the qiraji. If not, the chaotic escape would begin far sooner than they hoped.

Sirexx looked at the approaching wasp. It was only a few dozen meters from their position. If it came too close, it had to be taken down, regardless of the risk. Twenty, fifteen, ten… the meters between the insect and the Sar'nexar dwindled at an alarming rate. Sirexx had two knives left: one of them would soon find itself in the insect's viscera.

The wasp stopped upon the water to investigate the river bends. The dust had long since settled but the small silithid wasn't prepared to let even the slightest of clues go to waste. Its gaze registered many possibilities what could have caused the rock fall. Its mind slowly registered them and its gaze then moved into the bushes ahead. A qiraji would have seen the hiding rebels in them but the silithid did not, due to their extraordinary vision of movement. The animal begun to approach the bushes in order to see if they contained something that wasn't supposed to be there… until its sight shut down in a moment as its altitude begun to drop.

Sirexx smiled inwardly as his target begun to fall. He took a deep breath and quickly grabbed the dead silithid's wing and pulled it into the bush to hide the corpse. He took another look at the sky and noticed that none of the other wasps had seen anything. He turned at Uvesh who was still terrified by his near-lethal mistake.

Sirexx spoke in a reassuring voice and tried to force a slight smile to his face.

"Let's get moving."

* * *

The effect of the sea to the climate of Silithus was very hard to see from the desert. The sea, or Ikazas'n as it was called in qiraji, bore little relevance to the qiraji due to the high mountains surrounding the desert. Even the name meant "the second border", highlighting the lack of qiraji interest in seafaring. However, in the mountains around the desert, the sea begun to effect the climate. Rain was far from rare in the peaks and the closer one went to the sea, the greener the scenery became. But for the Sar'nexar, the sea brought another blessing: mist was beginning to settle in the gorges between the peaks.

Yr'haxx looked at the thickening fog. The cliffs around him slowly faded into obscurity and the forms of his comrades became fade. He welcomed the change as he knew the wasps would have a harder time to spot them. Soon, he heard Ke'nir whisper from in front of him.

"We can walk into the open now. The wasps won't see us but stay silent. With luck, we could cover serious distance before the fog disappears."

"Shouldn't we move closer to the coast? If the sea causes things like these, isn't it always misty on the shore?" Kritass asked casually. The gladiators seldom wandered far from the main qiraji settlements, justifying the logic of Kritass' question.

"No. The rains mostly stop on these mountains. It won't help if we descent to the shore." Uvesh answered dryly.

"Moreover, the fastest and safest paths are here, on the eastern edge of the mountains. If we went west, we'd spend at least an extra day here." Ke'nir concluded the conversation. He knew the way: the others hadn't spent week here searching for a powerful wind elemental, or rather, its essence.

* * *

Ra'jol cursed as he looked at the fog above the mountains. The rebels would be a able to make a sizeable head start to their chasers. But it mattered little, they wouldn't be able to run forever. Sooner or later, the wasps would locate them.

Something had changed in Ra'jol since the last night. For reasons he didn't understand himself, the fight against his friends last night had insulted him deeply. He understood his reasons to letting the two slip from the encounter alive but the revelation of a full-blown conspiracy against the Creator had inflamed his loathing for his two team mates. They had become an antithesis for everything Ra'jol believed in. He wanted to believe that the two were simply confused and willing to repent from their sins but he knew it was now impossible. Also, their behavior last night clearly revealed their long-time plans for this particular moment.

He took a look at Danoxx. The High Ambusher was clearly disturbed by their quest and even then, Ra'jol couldn't really blame him… he hadn't seen the duo's treachery with his own eyes. Ra'jol moved closer to him and said in a silent, serious voice.

"It was terrible. I tried to stand up to them but I couldn't. Just between us, I let them go. I couldn't bring myself to kill them." Danoxx didn't look at Ra'jol but his eyes widened somewhat.

"What? I thought you fought with them?"

"I did but I could have alerted the guards at any time. In exchange, they let me live."

Danoxx felt some relief at Ra'jol's words. If the words were true, a real, personal rift hadn't been created yet. But he knew that such a rebellion couldn't be atoned for. Even then, he tried to push such thoughts away.

"Maybe this mission won't have to end in bloodbath… If there's any ch…" At this point, Ra'jol interrupted the High Ambusher with a sad voice.

"Don't start that. It's over. Even if they regretted their actions now, the bloodbath has already happened. Almost ten prophets, among them Sa'rol, are dead and Skeram himself was attacked. There's nothing more to do… Even I wouldn't pardon them for this. Each of us has to pay for their deeds: you can't simply disown your mistakes." Ra'jol looked in front of him and he spoke in a silent voice. His voice told that he had already thought about this.

Danoxx turned to Ra'jol as he spoke. Sa'rol was dead? He hadn't really liked the prophet but he had guided the high Ambusher for two decades now… It was absurd to think those days were over… But even more he was concerned by Ra'jol's words.

"Ra'jol… They cannot change what they did. You're right, such high treason cannot be pardoned. But I'd like to part ways as their friend, not enemy. None of us knows where those paths lead but we shouldn't abandon them. If there's something left to do or say, I'm ready to do it." Danoxx tried to put on a brave face as he knew they were true, even if ambiguous.

Finally Ra'jol turned his face to Danoxx, and hissed silently. "The Creator is more precious than two renegades, whoever they are. Remember that." Danoxx was hugely taken aback by Ra'jol' change of demeanor. Clearly, Ra'jol was greatly hurt by their betrayal but such an outburst chilled Danoxx to the bone. He dearly hoped he wouldn't have to regret not joining Danoxx and Ke'nir.

* * *

Ke'nir observed the darkening sky amid the slowly drifting walls of fog. The evening was already late, its arrival hidden by the mists that had blessed the last Sar'nexar with an almost unbelievable fortune. Their first day of escaping the qiraji lands was almost a free one, the weather hiding their presence.

He looked behind him, happy to see that the bottomless depression and fear was beginning to fade from the minds of most of his comrades. Almost more so than from his own… aside from poor Yr'haxx, he was the one who had been closest to Alt'hesh. All of the Sar'nexar had lost close friends but for now, all of them knew that their very lives were at stake. There would be time for mourning later but for now, the initial shock of the last night was finally beginning to fade.

"The darkness falls. Let's find a cave for the night." Svr'ash's voice could heard behind Ke'nir.

"Yes, I actually was about to propose that. There's a cave a few hundred meters forward. We'll head there." Ke'nir spoke absentmindedly, still reflecting on their future. He had served on these mountains long enough to know the best places to rest so he didn't have to think about Svr'ash's question. The next one grabbed his attention more thoroughly.

"Alt'hesh served in the same long-range groups as you did, Ke'nir. He would have known these mountains as well as you did." Yr'haxx haj joined him, walking on his right side. His eyes communicated anguish and it was clear why he had begun the conversation.

"He did? I never knew… but a High Ambusher must have served long before such an appointment. There's so much I don't know about him… heck, I don't even know every about my own… former, High Ambusher." Ke'nir tried to sound a bit more lighthearted even if he found it extremely hard.

"Why did he have to fall… One, despicable wasp took his life, after all he had gone through!" Ke'nir looked oddly at the other Unseen, at the same time surprised and understanding of the outburst. Every qiraji had lost a comrade before but the current circumstances, especially after Aker, explained Yr'haxx's behavior.

"None of our comrades received the end they deserved… Tilrasha was simply blown to pieces, Peraxx was swarmed by the silithid. But we took the risk. None of us expected to survive but we did. We both lost a dear friend, Yr'haxx, you two, but for better or worse we must continue our way." Ke'nir spoke softly yet his own feelings radiated through his words.

"I know… I'm sorry I brought this. This just feels like the end… Those two were my closest friends for almost three decades." Yr'haxx's mood appeared to darken even further as he once again thought about the full implications of the recent events.

"I guess I'm lucky… Sirexx is still with us, at least. We all are. Yr'haxx, whatever happens you or I aren't yet at the end. We might fall tomorrow or the day after but for now, we're alive. Alt'hesh wouldn't want you to join him, not yet, not because of him. You know how he died… he did it because of us." Ke'nir's voice turned into a whisper as he looked at Yr'haxx. The other qiraji looked at him with a broken expression.

"I… I'll have to think about this. Thank you, Ke'nir." Yr'haxx went a few meters away from Ke'nir where he walked alone. Even though he tried to shield his emotions, Ke'nir could see the Unseen sobbing in the darkness. His cloak hid his expressions but not his panting and low sniveling. Ke'nir couldn't blame him.

 _Who am I to say how he should mourn… I wouldn't be in a much better shape if Sirexx had fallen. I hope I won't have to go through what you are. Take your time, Yr'haxx._

* * *

"Is that the cave, Ke'nir?" Uvesh asked as he begun to saw something forming in the dark. The short Unseen looked at the direction Uvesh was looking and answered shortly.

"Yes, that's it. Everyone, get inside!"

All of the Sar'nexar soon started a bonfire in the cave. It was deep enough for the light not to escape its clutches to alert the wasps. The Sar'nexar started to roast whatever, they had found during the day: fruits or meat. Sirexx had taken three pineapples with him while Ke'nir had hunted a hyena with Svr'ash.

He looked at the five other Sar'nexar who were talking almost normally about their interests. Even after the last night's catastrophe, perhaps they could recover and escape to lands where Skeram wouldn't find them. Perhaps there was a future for the Sar'nexar. Sirexx looked towards the mouth of the cave, smiling at the few stars that could be seen from it. He smiled at them, praying with all his might that tomorrow would bring another day's journey further from Ahn'Qiraj.

* * *

 **The remaining Sar'nexar have managed to escape Skeram's clutches but for how long? The chase is on and the escapees won't win their freedom easily... I hope you enjoyed this latest installment as long I enjoyed writing it. Take care until next time!**


	32. The Hunt is On

**The Hunt is On**

The small river's flow slowly turned from its northern direction to the west, towards the Great Sea. First slightly but before long it was clear that the body of water was starting its final plunge towards its delta. A small pathway appeared in front of the Sar'nexar, beginning to rise towards the highest peaks of the range. Using it, the rebels could be able to escape the hills by nightfall. However, there was one minor problem with it.

"Are you serious, Ke'nir? We wouldn't be able to walk for a minute that road without being spotted!" Svr'ash remarked bluntly. He was never the one for flattering, especially in cases where his life was on the line.

"Have a little faith in me, Svr'ash. If I made mistakes like that I would have been dead long before I should have answered such questions! No, we won't use the mountain path… You see, there is a tunnel which leads through the highest mountains. It's slower but at least we're safe from the wasps." Ke'nir turned to look at Svr'ash, his eyes communicating displeasure at the question. The morning was still young and the darkness still hid the qiraji from the wasps.

"A tunnel? A straight one? Is there really such a thing here?" Uvesh wondered in surprise.

"There is… I know it. It was my and Idh'ash's secret in order to save time during the trial missions. It brought a lot of advantage to us against the others…" To everyone's surprise, the speaker was Sirexx. Even Ke'nir looked at him with an understanding yet surprised look.

"Sirexx is right. It's extremely low and shallow, hardly large enough for us. To be honest, I'm a bit worried about Kritass. It'll be a close call to fit him in it." Everyone turned to look at the gladiator who was still extremely weak because of his injuries. He had hardly spoken anything since the Temple and his condition didn't seem to improve. He hadn't let anyone remove his hood as he didn't want anyone to see his face. Thus far he had managed to keep up with his comrades but he didn't know himself for how far longer. His strength was failing. He simply looked at Ke'nir and acknowledged the situation.

* * *

The tunnel was as small as Ke'nir had claimed. It was just over a meter wide and only slightly higher. The qiraji would almost have to crawl through it in order to fit in. It was a prospect none of the qiraji looked forward to but Sirexx and Ke'nir's words had convinced everyone if its benefits.

"How long is this? Does it take all day to cross?" Svr'ash asked dryly.

"A few hours if we keep up a good pace… Trying to go around it takes longer, though, and exposes us to the wasps." Sirexx answered.

"Then let's go. We want to get out of these mountains sooner than later, no?" Uvesh was already beginning to approach the tunnel when Ke'nir stopped him.

"Not so fast. There's no telling what kind of beasts lurk in there. They might even be in Skeram's command so be careful. If you see something, kill now and think later." Ke'nir looked serious as he spoke to Uvesh. It was clear that the shorter Unseen meant what he said.

"Scorpids, you mean? Or snakes?" Yr'haxx asked the obvious question.

"Usually, yes, but there might be something that I don't know about. Silithid, for example.

The five other Sar'nexar understood that while the tunnel offered their best chance to escape, it was far from safe. Ke'nir was the first one to crouch and enter the tunnel which looked more like a small crack in the mountainside. The sun was rising: it wouldn't be long until the wasps again swarmed the skies.

* * *

Ke'nir moved slowly through the tunnel, scanning the way before him carefully with a candle he had brought with him from Ahn'Qiraj. The ground varied from solid rock to sand but for a long time there were no living beings on their way. The walls looked the same everywhere and it would have been justified to think the qiraji weren't moving at all. After a long time, Ke'nir's low voice echoed in the tunnel.

"The tunnel is widening somewhat. You can stand straight soon."

It was a huge relief after crouching for so long. The Sar'nexar rose and tried to relax for a moment before continuing on. But there was one thing that all of them overlooked. On the left wall, there was one spot that didn't look solid at all. In fact, sand and rock swirled in the depression, flowing deeper into the mountain. From the swirling sands rose a large form, heading for the nearest qiraji.

* * *

Sirexx was still panting slightly as he watched the cavern around him. It had been decades since he had last been here. He had been far younger back then and using the tunnel had been less tasking. However, the sight of these rocks and tunnels brought his mind back to the days when he and Idh'lash had been mere initiates, not even real Unseen novices. It had been so long… and the memory of Idh'lash's passing only deepened his melancholy.

"Sirexx! Turn around!"

Sirexx heard Uvesh's warning and almost jumped when he turned around. It was a huge scorpid, moving towards him with a deadly intent. He took a defensive position, doing his best to parry the coming attacks.

"Svr'ash, cut its tail! Others, surround it and keep it at bay!" Ke'nir shouted as he saw the arachnoid.

Svr'ash moved towards the tail and prepared to cut it in one single blow. Unfortunately, the animal moved too fast to give the qiraji an easy hit. The black Unseen tried to learn the scorpid's moving pattern in order to give him the best chance to accomplish his goal. The animal advanced on Sirexx, exposing its huge jaws and hissing loudly. A charge was imminent.

"Hit it!" Ke'nir yelled as he noticed the escalating situation. Every qiraji hit the scorpid with knives but only few of the hits did actual damage. Svr'ash finally closed his chelae around the scorpid's tail, increasing the pressure on it. The needle spanned quickly, trying to hit the qiraji that was trying to cut the tail. Svr'ash gritted his jaws as he struggled to dodge the frenzying appendage. He closed his eyes and gave all of his strength to a final push. He concentrated all his might, sweat was beginning to form in his armpits… when he heard a loud snap, followed by a terrifying screech.

"It has only its chelae left, finish it until it can escape!" Sirexx shouted when he saw the arachnoid squeaking in pain. Its armor protected the animal from the first hits but before long, its movements slowed as death's haze started to take over the scorpid's eyes. Sirexx panted heavily, staring at the dead arachnoid in front of him.

"Good job, Svr'ash! I'd say we move on before there comes any other surprises." Uvesh said in a relieved voice.

"Agreed. There's no telling what lurks under the hills anymore." Sirexx answered as he parted his gaze from the dead scorpid.

"We're just over halfway. We should be out in an hour." Ke'nir informed as he begun to enter the narrowing tunnel. What he didn't know was that the prophets' power was no longer limited to the silithid. When the scorpid squeaked its final cry, the high voice carried a long way, all the way out of the cave.

A wasp was flying outside the cavern. It scanned the many bushes and the downward slopes beginning just behind the tunnel's mouth. It wouldn't leave these mountains until it found its target. The insect's search was suddenly interrupted by a high voice that was strengthened by the cavern's walls. The voice was panicked, almost mournful but it told the wasp one thing. Whatever had emitted such a loud sound had to be a huge creature, most likely a beetle or a scorpid. And one thing that the panicked screech revealed was that the creature's end was violent. The wasp could think only one force in these lands that could kill such a beast. The silithid suddenly fluttered upward, emitting calls that the rebels were located.

* * *

Danoxx could feel his stomach sink as he saw a wasp flying straight toward him and his group. Hoping against hope, he knew the only thing that the wasps would tell them was the rebels' position. Thus far he had managed to conceal his emotions regarding the issue but he feared that he would eventually reveal his misgivings about the chase.

The group's leader, Etiksh, listened to the wasp's message and begun to smile widely. He turned around and addressed the group's two Unseen. His voice dipped with poison as he told them the news.

"Your friends haven't managed to flee far enough for their own good. They're still a long way from leaving the mountains… which means they won't. You will make sure of it." The reddish-yellow gladiator said.

"Where exactly are they?" Ra'jol asked. He didn't know the mountains as well as some others but he wanted to know.

"In some cave to our north. The wasps will be waiting for them at its mouth… They won't get much further."

"But… don't they have a day's advantage to us? They can easily outrun us!" Danoxx sputtered.

Etiksh turned to Danoxx, clearly delighted by the question.

"That's one thing I wanted to tell you about. The prophets' newfound powers have granted us with a newfound blessing. Please take a look…" The gladiator ruffled his antennae and in a few moments, a few dozen silithid reavers appeared from the horizon.

"Thus far the silithid have only been our slaves… our workers. But the prophets have managed to put them into another use." Etiksh approached one of the reavers and jumped to its back.

"From now on, they serve as our mounts! The enemy won't leave Silithus alive!"

Ra'jol jumped to the back of one of the reavers. He almost dropped from the animal's back at first but after a few moments, he found his balance. Ra'jol called to Danoxx.

"Come on, Danoxx! Let's get this done!" Ra'jol didn't sound happy as he called his High Ambusher but his voice carried no regret. Danoxx sighed and mounted a green reaver and rode to Ra'jol's side. He looked at his comrade swiftly and noticed that his attention had entirely turned into the hunt. Danoxx wasn't sure whether he wished to have as clear mind as Ra'jol.

* * *

"Halt!" Ke'nir hissed swiftly. Light was already starting to be seen in the end of the tunnel but Ke'nir noticed that something wasn't quite right. The buzzing sound of the wasps could be heard more clearly than before. Also, he could see them flying outside the tunnel in suspiciously large numbers.

"It's almost like they're expecting us. But how… They didn't know of us before!" Ke'nir pondered as he voiced his concerns to others. He could hear Uvesh be the first one to answer.

"That is bad… We cannot escape without being seen! Can you think of any places where we could try to disappear from their sight?" Ke'nir seemed to fall into his thoughts, desperately trying to come up with an answer.

"The terrain is slowly starting to into coast… and to marshland at the border with Feralas. We might be able to blend into the shadows near the evening… the problem is that it's hardly even noon!" Ke'nir sounded annoyed at the comment but it soon turned into fear as he heard Sirexx answer.

"If the wasps know our location, so do the prophets! We'll be caught if we waste an entire day in a cave!" Ke'nir's eyes widened as he realized the magnitude of the wasps' findings.

"You're right… We have to go now! Feralas is just a few hours away if we run. The elven forest provides us with a chance to lose the damned wasps!" Ke'nir knew the problems with his plan but he understood that their chances wouldn't get any better.

"Hours of running with a swarm of wasps on our heels… Sounds good." Svr'ash said with clear sarcasm. Sirexx gave him a deep scowl but he knew his skepticism wasn't completely misguided.

"If we get separated from each other, let's try to catch each other at the edge of Feralas and the Thousand Needles. That's our best option at this point."

All of the other Sar'nexar nodded at the proposal, each of them understanding the magnitude of the coming hours. It would be much harder for the prophets to find them at Feralas but they weren't there yet. And it was very possible that they'd never be. They looked at Ke'nir and waited for him to give the signal.

"Let's go!" Ke'nir commanded and stormed out of the cave. The exit was on a tiny precipice, with a road leading downwards towards the coast. Behind three mountains could be seen the glimmering Great Sea, its waves forming foamy crests. Nearer could be seen plains which slowly begun to torn into green grasslands which continued to the north as far as an eye could see. However, Alt'hesh saw only the road in front of him and the wasps that begun to dash towards the escaping qiraji.

Sirexx saw the approaching insects and joined his comrades in the escape. It was orderly, with no room for stumbling or shoving each other. Ke'nir hit two wasps in front of him, felling them to the ground.

 _Why aren't they attacking us? It's as if they're just trying to oversee our escape, with only some hindrance. Don't tell me the prophets are planning something else for us…_

Ke'nir tried to not fall into premature fears but the silithids' behavior worried him greatly. If there was a few more surprises coming, he dearly hoped they weren't worse than what they had already faced.

* * *

Ra'jol swayed heavily as he tried to keep his balance. The silithid obeyed his orders as they should but it hardly never walked straight, always taking sidesteps on either direction. Every other rider seemed to have the same problem except Etiksh. He would get used to it eventually, he figured.

He couldn't believe the speed they were catching up with Sirexx and Ke'nir. According to the wasps, the two and their collaborators were at this rate only less than an hour away. Making the silithid mounts could probable be one of the greatest things the prophets had come up with, even better than the anubisath. The escapees wouldn't stand a chance.

The Unseen took a look at Danoxx. No matter what happened, the two turncoats had ruined the High Ambusher's reputation as a reliable leader yet it seemed like Danoxx wasn't concerned about himself in the slightest. His eyes communicated only anxiety for the current chase, not for the coming days. Ra'jol could relate to that feeling but he had decided to try to overlook his own feelings in favor of serving the Creator. For all his life Ra'jol had tried to see his comrades only as assistants in serving the prophets.

* * *

Kritass felt slight relief when he felt the ground turning into a grassland. It meant that Feralas, and their potential rescue, was slowly approaching. However, they were still far from refuge. The wasps weren't losing any ground and the pain in his face was only growing. The acid hadn't lost its effect, it was only burrowing deeper into his eye sockets and cheeks. He tried to ignore it as best as he could but it felt like an uphill battle. He wanted to join his comrades in their hopeful thinking but he was afraid. Afraid that all that he might gain from such approach would be taken away.

He couldn't help it. Even if he lived, he wasn't sure what his future held. He had lost his chela and he would have a hard time even earning his place among the Sar'nexar anymore. And even if the others accepted him being a burden, he wouldn't. It wasn't right for anyone.

Kritass' thoughts were interrupted by a wasp trying to stab his back. The gladiator rolled to his right and hit the insect, striking it lifeless into the ground. The insect's head was crushed by the hit ad Kritass continued his sprint towards the woodlands of Feralas.

* * *

Ke'nir's fears about the wasps' hesitancy to attack only grew as the time progressed. They were almost halfway through the swamps to the northern forest but something was horribly wrong. The flying silithid were clearly just delaying them, caring little about trying to kill them. Occasionally one of them would start a half-hearted attack but Ke'nir could see that they were far from serious threat. His left leg suddenly dipped into a wet depression, felling him to the ground. He turned around instantly and kicked an approaching wasp further away. When he tried to rise up, he heard a voice that chilled him to the heart.

"Submit in the name of the Creator! The Prophet's holy being has found you guilty for numerous, unspeakable crimes. Lay down your arms, now!"

Sirexx looked at the source of the voice and saw a gladiator standing on a cliff, a few dozen meters to their right. He was wearing a captain's garbs, a bluish armor and red trinkets. He could see the terror in Ke'nir's eyes as he tried to come up with an explanation to them catching up with the rebels this fast.

"Never! We will fight to last qiraji before we return to be executed in Ahn'Qiraj!" Ke'nir shouted to the captain, earning an amused smile from him.

"Trying to reason with traitors never brings anything good with it! Attack! Slay the cursed blasphemers!" Sirexx's breathing became more frequent as he saw the other chasers come to view. There were at least twenty of them… There was no way the Sar'nexar could beat that many chasers.

But it was Ke'nir who saw the real shock. It was just a glimpse but he could see Danoxx among the attackers. His heart sank at that moment, quickly realizing that it was hardly a coincidence that he would be sent here, to hunt the last of the rebels down. This was the reason that the wasps hadn't attacked them more furiously. The prophets wanted to make sure that the two remaining teammates were loyal to Ahn'Qiraj.

Ke'nir turned around and saw their fear as they saw the newcomers. The short Unseen yelled at them in a swift, concerned voice.

"Run! We can still outrun them if we reach Feralas! They must be exhausted from the chase!" Ke'nir turned to run away when he heard Etiksh's voice again.

"Actually, you can't. Unlike the evil god you so blindly believed, the Creator works to improve our lives, our abilities to flourish in Kalimdor. Welcome a herald of the glorious future you threw away in your blindness and greed!" Etiksh mounted the reaver again, this time showing it to the Sar'nexar. They looked completely stunned as the chasers begun to appear from the both sides of the hill. Any hope of escape would be a fool's dream.

* * *

Danoxx's face was void of emotions as the Sar'nexar appeared from behind the rocks that had mercifully shielded their sight for a few moments. He was somewhat surprised to see Ke'nir apparently leading the group, always seeing him as the weakest of his followers. Apparently a lot had happened since last night. He looked sadly at Sirexx whose eyes widened as his eyes met Danoxx's. Danoxx tried to ease his mind as he tried to recall the other of the Sar'nexar.

 _Uvesh… He was always a one to trust his friends, even too much so. He never advanced on his career as he was seldom the one to lead and accomplish great deeds. Sv.. Svr'ash? I haven't met him in years… Is he still as silent as ever? And a gladiator… how could they make him join them? Gladiators seldom join other castes' business._

He couldn't help but wonder how Yr'haxx was feeling. Danoxx had known Alt'hesh for a long time and knew him to be a capable if somewhat distant leader. Yr'haxx had been with him as long as Danoxx could remember and he seemed even more lost than the others. Danoxx wanted nothing less than to be the one to end any of these Unseen's lives or dishonor Alt'hesh's legacy. He was awakened from his thoughts by Etiksh's voice.

"You are surrounded. There is nowhere to run or hide. I ask you one more time: are you ready to meet the Creator's just and holy retribution or will you die here, away from the holy ground of Ahn'Qiraj?" Etiksh couldn't hide his amusement at the success.

Ke'nir looked at the gladiator with a hostile look but his mind was racing at an overdrive. Eitksh was right, they couldn't escape which meant that they would have to make their stand here. But how? They were outnumbered more than three-to-one, with Kritass already maimed. Perhaps… just perhaps they could use the marshland to their advantage.

* * *

Sirexx knew as well as Ke'nir that the environment would have to be their savior. The bog had nearly claimed Uvesh and Svr'ash before, long ago but they had told about their experiences, fearful to enter the marshland again. Maybe they could try to lead the attackers to their deaths… Sirexx looked at Ke'nir who returned the glare. The two knew each other well enough to know they were thinking the same thing. It was time to act and try to find fitting ground for their plan. Sirexx looked at Etiksh and spoke in an arrogant, mocking voice.

"Yes… It is right we fell to the lies of an evil god, we played right into his hands and fulfilled his wishes of dividing the Creator's ranks. But do you want to know something? We would do it again and again, until that monster's filth is cleansed from Ahn'Qiraj! We might serve evil but you serve another evil that will soon consume us all! We will never return to die because of C'thun's madness! Screw that monster and you who still serve him!" Sirexx knew his words would do little to reconcile the feelings of Danoxx and Ra'jol but he had long wanted to speak out his mind to the enemy. Ke'nir looked at him with a stunned look but he understood Sirexx's outburst.

Etiksh couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not only did the Unseen insult everything Ahn'Qiraj stood for but he claimed to know the Creator's real name. Whether it was true or not, Etiksh knew he had only one order left to give.

"Slay them! Slaughter the blasphemers and traitors but leave the two for the Unseen!"

* * *

Ra'jol's blood boiled in barely controlled rage. Sirexx had gone too far: his feelings were conflicted before but now all his feelings and memories of their friendship was being washed away. When he heard Etiksh's command, he didn't wait a second until he commanded his reaver to move. Ra'jol didn't care what he would think of himself later but for now, he had something urgent to do.

* * *

Sirexx ran to Ke'nir's side, issuing an order to the four other Sar'nexar. The circle was closing fast. He pointed at a spot to his right to demonstrate his plan.

"Break the line! We must lead them deeper to the bog!" Ke'nir felt the time slow as he ran against the charging enemy. The mere impact could give him a fatal blow, never mind the rider's attack. As the rider approached, he jumped and hit the surprised gladiator down from his mount which was quickly obliterated by Uvesh and Sirexx. Ke'nir quickly regained his feet and prevented the gladiator's rise from the ground. With a swift blow, the qiraji's neck snapped and his body fell to the ground for the last time.

The way was open. The surrounding circle was broken and the six remaining Sar'nexar quickly headed downslope deeper the marshland. Sirexx knew the tactic was a double-edged sword, the perilous terrain working as well against them as it did to their enemies.

* * *

Etiksh looked at the scene with burning eyes. His troops had managed to foil the plan and letting the rebels leave the deathtrap. It was a real shame that the guilty gladiator was already dead. At least he got his just reward, Etiksh supposed.

"After them! They can run as far as they wish but they won't escape us. But remember: none of us returns until the rebels are dead! This is us or them!" Etiksh didn't worry in the least but he wanted to make sure his troop understood the situation. Qiraji who had failed their missions would have no longer place among their people.

* * *

Ke'nir's eyes scanned the ground in front of him, trying to see where the marsh turned into bog. It was a concern that was shared by every member of the escaping rebels as every slip could mean death or at least being stuck long enough for the chasers to reach the poor qiraji. Before them opened a wide field of dark green, spotted by pools of water and small lakes. At least the reavers wouldn't be able to run through the sinking grounds. Sirexx called to his comrades a false message in order to try to distract the chasers. All of the others knew the actual plan: they would see through the lie.

"They're gaining on us! Run faster, they won't be able to use their mounts here! We can outrun them, hurry up!"

All of the Sar'nexar complied, in order to show that they listened to Sirexx's seemingly spontaneous order.

* * *

Danoxx's expression was unreadable as he heard the order. Were the traitors truly this badly prepared to the ambush that they were simply running in terror with no plan? He could see that the terrain was slowly turning into a bog. Surely the rebels saw it too: was this a part of the plan? Did they actually think that could escape through it? Or did they hope that the chasers were stupid enough to sink into it by themselves?

 _Oh, Sirexx. You were never this desperate. You always had a decent plan, as you showed in the quilboar village. You must forgive what I'm going to do._

"Don't follow them blindly! The ground on the left seems more solid, use that!" He could Etiksh's order. There seemed to be a solid isthmus but it went into a different direction than the rebels. They wouldn't get too much closer to the Sar'nexar this way.

"You can see by yourself that they'll get away if we follow the isthmus! We have to follow them!" Danoxx answered in a conflicted voice.

"I'd follow orders closely if I were you, Danoxx. It won't take much more for you to join the suspected traitors." Etiksh's voice dipped with poison and disdain. Danoxx bowed his head as he acknowledged the words. He was only the executor of his own friends, nothing more.

The isthmus was a sliver of solid land in the sinking meadows. However, Etiksh had to acknowledge that the rebels' route was worrisome. They might be able to escape if he hesitated to use the same ways as they did. For the sake of preserving his own, accountability he followed the isthmus for a few hundred meters until he gave his command. For better or worse, he had to try to reach them before they could escape.

"We must go after them! Prioritize the mission but try to find solid ground!"

* * *

"At last they're coming! Head to the left and try to find a place where we can sink them!" Sirexx commanded as he saw the reavers begin to head into the lower parts of the marsh.

"No need for that. In front of us is a spot that we can use to kill them." Ke'nir answered more silently as he saw dark grounds in front of him. With luck, that would be the site of upcoming showdown. The chasers' speed had slowed down as they tried to find safe ways to proceed. None of them wanted to be the one die on this cursed swamp.

* * *

Ra'jol had a hard time trying to calm himself down enough to focus on his own safety. Sirexx's sacrilege had hurt him deeply, even more so as he knew he still respected the renegade Unseen. He couldn't take it back: Sirexx had proved his worth time and time again. In any case, all these doubts would be over soon. There was no way the Sar'nexar could escape. Slowly, the faithful group cut the distance, first by half, then by two-thirds until the two groups started to prepare for melee.

* * *

Ke'nir turned around to face the attackers. They were only two dozen meters away, across a potentially deadly, sinking piece of land. Ke'nir knew the enemy saw it but perhaps he could trick them to make a misstep. It was the best chance he had anyway. The first gladiators dismounted the reavers, starting to approach the rebels from both sides of the lake. The Sar'nexar approached each other, forming a circle in order to protect each other from the coming onslaught.

 _We just have to take out their mounts… we can outrun them if they're dead!_

Ke'nir thought vigorously as he tried to contemplate a good plan for survival. Right now, they would have to drive one or of the attackers to their deaths. Ke'nir closed his eyes for a moment as he saw the first gladiators charging against him. The fight was on.

Sirexx stood alongside Ke'nir immediately starting to push the attackers back. The shorter Unseen knew the weak spots in the ground, the sinking holes in the ground. Sirexx gave his all into the initial assault, managing to push the red gladiator in front of him back a few meters until he could answer to Sirexx's attack. Sirexx grabbed the larger qiraji's chela with his own and Ke'nir stabbed hisside swiftly. The gladiator wasn't dead but his wounds incapacitated him for a good while.

After the reprieve, Ke'nir and Sirexx surprisingly retreated for many meters, apparently trying to avoid immediate backlash. What the gladiators didn't notice however was that the duo used a slightly different path in their escape than in their initial engagement. One of the gladiators followed Sirexx immediately but his advance was suddenly halted. His feet didn't move and the water suddenly reached his knees. He looked in shock at his waist until he felt a sensation that was brief and intense. Soon his right eye was completely destroyed as Ke'nir stuck a knife into the gladiator's brain. He fell down immediately, the water slowly beginning to turn red around the corpse.

Another gladiator, this one green and large looked in confusion as he saw his comrade beginning to sink deeper into the bog. He took a few steps back in hesitation but this time Ke'nir gave him no reprieve. The Unseen approached him quickly from the left, driving him immediately to a defensive stance. However, he had missed one detail and it was that the third rebel behind the two attackers was nowhere to be seen anymore. As he tried to stop Ke'nir's fierce attack, he suddenly felt a shuddering hit on his side, and before he knew it, he was lying in the water, with the Unseen quickly jumping off him. He looked around him in shock, finding that he was in the center lake, tackled by another rebel. His struggles soon ended as a knife went through his neck.

* * *

Danoxx looked simultaneously impressed and horrified as he looked at the dead body lying close to him. It seems his doubts about his former subordinates' cunning had been misguided. He liked to think it had been partly a result of his guidance but at the same time, he knew he would have to face them himself if the fight continued like this.

 _Suddenly they seem much more passive… why? Did they run out of tricks already? I'm sure Ra'jol hopes so…_

"Idiots! Don't leave your mounts unprotected!" Etiksh's enraged voice rang through the bog and Danoxx immediately turned to look behind him. His expression changed quickly into astonishment as he saw Uvesh fighting and quickly felling one silithid after another. Some gladiators immediately started to run towards him, hoping to save at least part of their mounts.

Uvesh gritted his jaws as he saw the chasers running after him. He had hoped for more time before being seen but he knew he had gotten more than he had the right to dream of. Over half of the silithid would fall here. He quickened his attacks as the five gladiators approached him with a quick pace.

Before long, twelve reavers lied dead in the ground. Uvesh had hoped to take all of them out but he knew that was no longer possible. Now he would only have to save himself. He sprinted quickly to this left, trying to shake off his chasers. With luck, they wouldn't even see his flight.

* * *

Ra'jol's blood boiled at his leader's gullibility. Without the mounts, any great advantage they had would be greatly diminished. And the Unseen knew the gladiators would never catch the one guilty for this. That one had to die, even if it demanded his own participation. He went after Uvesh, determined to not let the outrage be left unavenged.

* * *

Uvesh looked after him and was greatly chagrined as he saw that he was being followed. He had a good head start but his chaser run like a madman. He wouldn't be able to outrun this enemy. Either he would have to try to find more cover or to fight. There was nothing to hide him in the middle of the marsh and Uvesh understood he had only one choice left.

He turned around to face Ra'jol. He could see the Unseen's rage in his eyes as he charged towards him. Uvesh would have to try to trick him into making one, small mistake that might give him an opening to finish the attacking Unseen. Uvesh charged at him, trying to check his momentum. However, Ra'jol wasn't about to give him the opening his opponent needed: he would never let his own emotions hamper his service to the Empire.

* * *

 _Come on… Come on, you worthless idiot! I know you think I'll screw this up!_

Ra'jol looked at his opponent in disgust, loathing his presence so close to Silithus. Ra'jol hit him, but Uvesh managed to limit the contact enough to stay on his feet. He tried to stab Ra'jol into his back but that was exactly what the larger Unseen expected. Ra'jol turned around and grabbed Uvesh's knife, snapping it into pieces immediately.

Uvesh looked at the imposing attacker in disbelief, stunned that he read his plans this easily. He had no more knives: he would have to fight the stronger Unseen with his chela.

"You have nowhere to go, traitor. I hope you will meet your "Creator". I bet he'll be merciful on you…" Ra'jol's face turned from hatred into cold loathing as he begun to approach the hapless Sar'nexar. Uvesh begun to back down, a few steps at first until his pace quickened. Ra'jol's being made him want to escape altogether. His mind was too fixated on Ra'jol to remember to keep- an eye on his surroundings. His foot hit a large slope in a small body of water and the Unseen fell on his back into the ground. It was mere seconds until Ra'jol was closed in over him.

Uvesh tried to desperately fight his opponent off and get on his feet but Ra'jol was far too seasoned to let this opportunity pass. With a swift hit, he snapped Uvesh's right arm just over his chela. The Unseen cried in pain as Ra'jol whispered to him a few final words.

"I don't know what evil possesses you or Sirexx but do tell him my condolences for he'll soon join you. Happy eternity of regret, fool." With those words, Ra'jol put his chela on Uvesh's neck and in a moment, the latter was but a red, broken piece of flesh drying the grass around it red. The sixth Sar'nexar had gone to his rest, only five remained.

* * *

That scene was something Sirexx dearly hoped would be from a nightmare. He had never expected to witness one of his closest friends killing another, more distant but just as honorable, teammate. Sirexx closed his eyes for a few seconds, saying his last respects to the fallen Unseen. There would come a time when he would have to confront Ra'jol again but that wouldn't be today. Uvesh had bought the last five Sar'nexar a chance to escape and try to reach the Dustwallow Marsh.

 _I'm so sorry, Uvesh. No one should have been put in your position. You succeeded in your mission and because of you, we're safe. I just… wished you'd be with us. And Ra'jol… we'll meet another day._

Sirexx shed a single tear when he snapped his eyes open and called to the other rebels. Each of them looked at Ra'jol with hateful eyes, as if he were the Creator himself.

"Run! Uvesh killed most of their mounts, they can no longer outrun us! Ke'nir… lead the way. They have no one who knows the terrain as well as you." Sirexx put a hand on his friend's shoulder and tried to breathe hope into Ke'nir's mind. The shorter Unseen nodded and waved the others to follow him.

Sirexx turned to look at Uvesh's final resting place for a last time. He couldn't help but wonder how long it would take until he joined Uvesh and Alt'hesh. They had managed to repel the first attack but as Etiksh said, the chasers' lives were also on the line. They would meet again and Sirexx couldn't help but feel the chill as he looked at Ra'jol who went to rejoin the chaser group.

 _One of us has to die before this is over, Ra'jol. I won't hold anything back but I won't let you slaughter us like pigs! We deserve better and you know it. As do you._

* * *

 ** _The flight of the Sar'nexar just became more difficult. Will Etiksh's group meet them again and if so, what are the consequences? Sorry for the slight delay but I have been busy lately. In any case, the next chapter will be complete in week or two. Have a great week and take care until next time!_**


	33. Ra'jol's Plan

**Ra'jol's Plan**

They rays of twilight lighted the trees' darkening forms in the southernmost borders of Feralas. They stood like eternal statues, welcoming travelers from the dead reaches of the desert. Their sight was a welcome sight for Ke'nir after the battle that had claimed Uvesh's life. There was a rather powerful, cold breeze in the air: fit for the atmosphere of the dying day.

Despite Uvesh's fate, Ke'nir knew they had been lucky beyond measure on this day. He had doubted their chances from the beginning, never truly expecting to get even this far. He felt immense relief as the group entered the darkening forest. Etiksh's group would have a much harder time trying to find them among the vast primeval forests that covered this part of Kalimdor. The hardest part was over: there was a real chance of survival from now on. That wasn't a reason to get complacent, however. Ra'jol had displayed intense brutality and if they met again, Ke'nir feared what the consequences would be.

Sirexx was saddened beyond measure by Ra'jol's kill. Ke'nir could see it in him: he hadn't spoken a word since the battle's end three hours earlier and his eyes stared straight forward. It was a mistake he stumbled only twice during their run. Ke'nir went next to him and tried to take some of the burden from Sirexx's mind.

"He did what he thought was right, Sirexx. We all did." Ke'nir left the qiraji he was referring to ambivalent but it mattered little. Sirexx stayed silent for a long time after which he answered in a confused, lost voice.

"He's really intent on hunting us down. I… I never expected it to go to this. I mean, we knew Ra'jol and Danoxx wouldn't join us but for some reason I hoped we wouldn't have to fight each other. That we'd be enemies but not having to face each other face to face." Ke'nir looked at Sirexx as he spoke. Sirexx's expression wasn't sad or angry, it was simply a face of realization.

"Ra'jol tried to postpone this moment by sparing us but in the end, it's easy to see why they were ordered to kill us. Those two are as good as dead if we aren't. While I might have once sacrificed myself to save Ra'jol, we have responsibilities towards our comrades. We just cannot get killed because of self-pity and in the end, every loyal qiraji will die before soon. Even if we sacrificed ourselves, there would be no Danoxx or Ra'jol in a few weeks: mere living puppets, obeying C'thun's every whim."

Sirexx of course knew all this. That was exactly why he joined the Sar'nexar in the first place: to gain a chance of escaping that fate. He knew what his two friends' reaction would be but Ra'jol's eagerness to slaughter the rebels horrified him. And Danoxx… Sirexx always wanted to believe in Danoxx's judgement. Had it been up for him, he would have probably tried to get Danoxx join their cause. He may have wanted to accept the call but it was his position in the qiraji hierarchy that had stayed his hand. Danoxx was an old warrior and a respected member of the lower qiraji elite. Sirexx knew where his true loyalties lie. Danoxx's own free will was already partly overshadowed by his place in the qiraji society, far too much to be trustworthy of knowing about the existence of the Sar'nexar.

"You're right, Ke'nir. But as long as they're still them, I won't fight them unless I have no choice. Not after we saved each other in search Sul'thraze or the poisoning of the elf supplies. I don't know about you Ke'nir but for now, I cannot just overlook those things. We've been through too much together to yearn even Ra'jol's blood. But I won't let them hurt any of my remaining comrades." Sirexx's voice turned into a slightly happier tone as he recalled the fight against the self-proclaimed prophet of Agamaggan or his saving of Danoxx. Not that he could forget that: his ruined chela reminded him of that every day. Not even speaking of all their common years in the Promise, the daily meetings and chats about things that seemed so trivial now.

Ke'nir's own gaze turned to ground as the forest slowly thickened, turning into a dense woodland, not merely some small thicket. The sun was just setting below the horizon, somewhere on the eastern reaches of the Great Sea. Sirexx's words brought many memories to life within him, of days long gone by. But one detail made it easier for Ke'nir to accept the present: his own past had been much easier in the long-range groups whereas Sirexx had previously been very much a loner who had witnessed his earlier group perish in an unfortunate mission.

"O'rel's and his group's deaths weren't your fault, Sirexx. You were just a part of the team. It was as much theirs as it was your doing. When it comes to our recent situation, it was they who failed to see what we saw. It doesn't make them worse than us but the way I see it, we have more to protect. We still have our comrades and the promise of a better tomorrow but Ra'jol and Danoxx? They have sealed themselves into the Creator's service. When they're gone, we're still us. And then, wherever they will go, they will see the magnitude of their mistake. Our time with them is over in this world but maybe we'll be reunited in the next." Ke'nir's voice trembled as he spoke the morbid words. He knew that they wouldn't make Sirexx feel any better but he knew that those words had to be said.

"Along with Alt'hesh, Idh'lash and Uvesh. So many have already fallen. I cannot even fathom Yr'haxx's feelings." Sirexx's answer was brief as he recounted the many losses of the previous months. Ke'nir took a look at the other Unseen and decided to remind Sirexx he wasn't alone with past losses.

"You know, in the long-distance groups the mortality rate was even higher. Whether they perished to tauren ambushes, drops narrow mountain passages or bad cooperation, I've lost four comrades before I joined Danoxx's squad. Maybe I'm getting old but I just didn't find it exciting to scour the southern borders of the night elf realm or to see more of my comrades die. That's because I wanted to join the shorter-range squads. I had many trusted, even liked friends in my past groups but only one of them is alive. Or I'm not even sure anymore: he may have died during the war." Ke'nir's voice was dreamy as he reminisced his younger days.

"I just… feel lost without Idh'lash. The things went astray after his death. Had he been here, with us, how different the things could have been. He always had ideas to get through even the most difficult of situations: Alt'hesh told me Idh'lash had saved him thrice during their time together. He might have done it for the fourth time… But it's over now. Both of them are gone. I guess I'm lucky to be alive. Who am I to complain safe in here when dozens of elves are probably dying now?" Sirexx reasoned but he wasn't quite confident of his own words.

"We two are lucky, Sirexx. Luckier than most. But we must still remember our fallen comrades. It's a way to honor their achievements and to acknowledge the times we spent together. But most of all we're alive. We still have a job to do. For our comrades." Ke'nir affirmed to Sirexx as he returned his gaze forward.

"For Svr'ash, Yr'haxx and Kritass. And for Ra'jol and Ke'nir, even if they don't know it." Sirexx felt slight relief as he gazed at the sky. Ke'nir's words had demolished a burden from his mind, realizing that he still had a clear goal.

 _Be at ease, Idh'lash. I will do everything I can to lead us all to safety, to preserve the qiraji as a free people. Tell Alt'hesh that I'll take good care of his followers._

* * *

"You wished to meet me, Eminent Defender?" Ra'jol asked in a questioning tone, using Etiksh's title, which was the gladiator alternative to High Ambusher. After Uvesh's death, Etiksh had invited Ra'jol to talk to him after nightfall. The group had only managed to leave the bog after many hours of searching for a safe path through the sinking grounds.

"I did. Ra'jol, I have to congratulate you for your deed today. You were the only one to kill a traitor today. For that, you have my respect."

"That was hardly my first kill, Etiksh. What is the real reason you invited me here?" Ra'jol's voice was freezing as he wanted to hear the truth. He had little respect for Etiksh after his leadership earlier in the battle. The fact that he had left the mounts unguarded was an inexcusable mistake.

"Don't think you can speak to me like that, Unseen. You may have been our most useful fighter today but it matters little anymore. I invited you here to talk about your High Ambusher." Etiksh's expression turned to an almost hostile one as he looked at Ra'jol.

"Danoxx? What for?" Ra'jol asked half-surprised. He wasn't too surprised by Etiksh's answer. There were many in Ahn'Qiraj that had begun to question Danoxx's loyalty. His reluctance to fight today hardly diminished such concerns.

"As you were probably told, both of you are here only to prove your loyalty to Skeram. While you have thus far fulfilled my expectations, Danoxx has left me in the dark. Do you trust in him? Do you believe he is more loyal to his renegade friends or to you? Or to the state?" Etiksh narrowed his eyes as he spoke but thus far his voice was a rather informal one.

Ra'jol fell silent at the question. He honestly didn't have the answer. Even if Etiksh hadn't done too well in this mission, he was still the highest-ranking servant of the Creator in the group. It was his duty to serve him as well as he could, in truth as well as in deeds. Moreover, any kind of lie would later bring him to odds with the prophets, if uncovered. But he couldn't just give Danoxx away… at this point, such a move would likely lead to a death sentence. Danoxx had let him down today, it was true, but their time together didn't begin today.

"He is confused, Eminent Defender. He cared about all of us deeply and Sirexx and Ke'nir's treachery has taken a heavy toll on him. He may seem reluctant now but in the end, questioning his loyalty is completely absurd. He has only one loyalty and it is for the Creator." Ra'jol spoke slowly in order to place his words right and to not give a wrong impression about the situation. His words might have been true but Ra'jol feared he held real sympathies to the rebels.

"Are you sure? His wavering started before the rebellion started. He failed the Creator in Feralas and as well as we know, he might have helped his subordinates in their plots. The only hint we have about the one who stole Krejess' crystal is your word about the traitors' confession. That's hardly unquestionable evidence." Etiksh wanted to see whether Ra'jol's confidence wavered if he was indirectly accused of collaboration. The Unseen stared at the gladiator with an unbelieving expression. After a moment he answered in a freezing voice.

"I've done more to quell this mutiny than you, gladiator. Accuse me again of this kind of treachery and you will regret it. Dearly." Ra'jol knew he was playing with fire but he suspected that he could afford this threat. He was guilty of collaborating with the rebels but he couldn't stomach Etiksh calling him a traitor.

Etiksh looked at Ra'jol surprised. Was the Unseen truly begging for a charge of being undisciplined? Etiksh couldn't allow the Unseen question his authority.

"Leave. Now. The prophets will hear of this, no matter what happens. Unless you show remarkable courage in the final battle, you will face court martial." Ra'jol simply nodded and left the tent without another word. Only one thought filled his mind as he left as he smiled a smug, internal smile.

 _That's the name of the game, is it? We'll see if you will be in a position to tell anyone when this is over._

* * *

"What was it? What did Etiksh want?" Danoxx asked Ra'jol slightly worried. He was pretty sure he knew the conversation was about him. Ra'jol looked at the High Ambusher with an unreadable expression. He went close to Danoxx and whispered in a silent voice.

"Let's say Etiksh isn't all that trustful. We're both suspected now. It's almost like he doesn't want us to survive." Ra'jol sounded still agitated but considerably friendlier than with Etiksh.

"I see. But it wouldn't make sense for the prophets to get us killed. They need every soldier they need." Danoxx hoped Ra'jol wouldn't find his proposition offensive but the younger Unseen's reaction surprised him.

"You're right. Maybe Etiksh thinks we're truly guilty and wishes to get rid of us. However, that doesn't need to happen…" Ra'jol and Danoxx begun to move further into the shadows, in order to maximize their secrecy.

"Etiksh is an incompetent idiot. He would never catch Sirexx and Ke'nir without the wasps. I think it's time for a change in leadership…" Ra'jol's voice turned into a more toxic one, worrying Danoxx somewhat. The High Ambusher answered in an unsure and inquisitive voice. Even if he hated himself for suspecting Ra'jol, he had to ask.

"He asked you to test me, didn't he? I just hope you had made it more subtly." Ra'jol had delved too deeply in this own schemes and it took him a moment to realize what Danoxx meant.

"Danoxx… You may think many things about me but I would never take part in a conspiracy against you. Not until you join the rebels anyway. Etiksh suspects me too and seems intent in defaming us. He is a disgrace to Ahn'Qiraj and he isn't fit to serve the Creator. He must go." Danoxx looked at him with extremely asking eyes and after a rather long while, he answered.

"Even if I don't agree with everything you've done, I don't really have a choice anymore. If the last one of my old squad betrays me, so be it. But getting rid of Etiksh won't be easy." Ra'jol grinned slightly, relieved that Danoxx still had faith in him and told the High Ambusher his plan.

"We won't take him down directly but a bad coordination or an accident during the battle might happen even to a most careful of leaders…"

* * *

Raindrops beat the branches of the ancient trees of the elven woodland. The winds howled as the branches snapped and a few dead trunks could be heard falling deeper in the forest. Each of the qiraji shuddered as the temperature dropped sharply due to the marine winds. Qiraji could weather relatively well burning heat but cold was complete agony to them. They could walk only stiffly and slowly but even then, none of the Sar'nexar could complain. The silithid were even worse off in the cold, windy weather that had reigned since the early dawn. The long march towards the valley of Thousand Needles progressed slowly but each of them grew more hopeful with every step they took. Until Svr'ash noticed something that made chills creep down his mind.

"Please tell me… that that isn't real!" Yr'haxx looked at him surprised and took a look at the direction he was looking.

"That's just a large tree. Nothing to be…"

"Silence! Move closer slowly…" Sirexx ordered sternly at the gladiator when he begun to approach the tall, strange pole-like object in the heavy rain. The water hindered his sight but he grew increasingly alarmed as the vision in front of him grew clearer.

"No… not here too…" Sirexx whispered as he confirmed Svr'ash's fear. What opened before him was a giant beetle's leg sticking upwards from the ground, surrounded by many other similar legs growing closer to the ground. Around them spread the familiar light red flesh-like substance.

"The silithid hives have spread here too. If the elves aren't victorious, it might one day cover all of Feralas." Ke'nir spoke eerily, thinking about the consequences of qiraji victory.

"Luckily the silithid are taking shelter in the tunnels. We won't be seen." Yr'haxx said in a fearful voice.

"Who knows if they've already spread into the Duskwallow Marsh, too." Kritass whispered.

"We don't know yet. In any case, we must go. Even with the weather, they will see before long. Let us pray… I don't even know to whom, that we'll be safe in Duskmallow. If not… we'll see by then. But the prophets' grip is tightening around Kalimdor." Sirexx spoke gloomily. He had really bad expectations about the coming months. Ke'nir was the first to leave and soon the scene of the disgustingly twitching legs faded back into the rain.

* * *

Etiksh frowned heavily as the rebels' footsteps disappeared into the forest. The worst storm was already over but it was still too soon to send the wasps after the Sar'nexar. A small stream flowed into the forest, vanishing among the trees like the rebels had likely done many hours earlier. With most of his troops left without a mount, it would be a herculean effort to try to catch the five remaining traitors. Sadly, he didn't know their true destination.

"Jukaxx, what do you think about their destination?" Etiksh asked from a gladiator who stood to his left. He was one the better trackers among the group and had a long experience in hunting down hated prey.

"It's impossible for me to say, Eminent Defender. The island near Feralas' coast would be a good spot to hide but the elves are building a stronghold there. When it comes to Desolace… I'm not sure they'd want to fight with a dozen hostile and primitive centaur tribes. If my life depended on it, I'd guess they're heading towards the Thousand Needles as from there, they'll have a far wider pool of possibilities to take refuge in. Whether their destination is some part of the deserts, the marshlands or the plains, only Skeram can tell." The gladiator called Jukaxx said in a thoughtful voice. It was clear he was as troubled by the rebels' advantage as his commander was.

Etiksh looked forward in a highly fearful expression. He had meant what he said to his followers. According to a new edict by the prophets, failure was no longer an option. He had to succeed in getting rid of the rebels or else he was done for. Jukaxx had given his advice but it was just a guess. If it was a wrong one, all would be lost. Etiksh swallowed as he came to a conclusion about the best way to move forward.

"We'll go towards the Needles. That's their most likely destination." Inwardly Etiksh's thoughts were much more conflicted.

 _Wherever they will go, I'll follow. The damned traitors will not escape, even if the chase take months!_

* * *

Svr'ash smiled as he looked at the emerging sun. They had already passed their half point in their journey in Feralas, with less than a day's run to the desert valley. The chances that their chasers had lost their trail for good were growing by the minute. When they got to the Barrens, it would be as good as over for Etiksh's group. He was relieved by the end of the storm, especially because it was already unlikely that the wasps could catch them anymore.

"Elf footprints… very fresh, only a couple of minute old!" Svr'ash's thoughts were interrupted by Yr'haxx's sudden voice. Sirexx stopped to look at Yr'haxx who had crouched to investigate three pairs of footprints in the wet grass. The still soft ground made it easier for the qiraji to identify the footprints and who had made them.

"They weren't in hurry… It seems like they were investigating something. At least they're not after us." Sirexx said after a moment's investigation.

"Seems like a regular patrol. We're lucky that we didn't meet them. We went dangerously close to each other." Ke'nir's observations earned some concerned looks from the other Sar'nexar. It was true that the elves were their enemies but they hadn't paid them much thought during the past day. The storm and Etiksh had given them enough to think worry about even without thinking about the other denizens of Kalimdor.

"I'd propose hiding our own footsteps from now on. I'd guess the Khar'sis' commands towards the qiraji haven't been too kind since the fall of Southwind." Kritass' participation in the conversation earned surprised looks from his comrades but his words were true. The sight of Valstann torn to pieces was something that still caused nausea and even shame upon them. That sight had convinced even Svr'ash to abandon any doubts of the Sar'nexar cause. It was easily understandable if Fandral had commanded his troops to kill any qiraji on sight and ask the questions later.

"From this on, walk on grass whenever possible. The ground gives our presence away easily… We must get away from here fast… I don't want to meet any of the elves." Ke'nir spoke in a firm voice, disappointed by the emergence of another threat. It was a sad fact but the Sar'nexar had no allies in all of Kalimdor. The qiraji were treated with hostility by all other races and now even the other qiraji yearned their blood.

 _Life gets rough sometimes._

Danoxx looked wearily as a wave of forty wasps left towards the eastern parts of Feralas. The swarm of insects disappeared among the trees. Even if Sirexx and Ke'nir had a decent advantage, the wasps would find them, sooner or later. Danoxx was growing somewhat dulled to the chase, hoping for a swifter conclusion. Whatever happened, Danoxx knew he would regret it but there was no helping that now. The die was cast: the only question was whether it was he and Ra'jol or Sirexx and Ke'nir who would pick it up from the ground. Or whether it would be picked at all.

* * *

Rapidly advancing noisy buzzing filled the forest. The first thing one heard was a distant whoosh in the distance, resembling a tired breath of wind. It would gradually evolve into an ordinary vibration of insectoid wings until it degenerated into a violent roar, consuming all other voice near the swiftly moving harbinger of punishment.

The wasps' eyes moved quickly, scanning the ground in search of possible footsteps or other traces of qiraji presence. Whenever, they found any two of them would land near the spot and try to determine whether there was a chance that it was caused by their target. The wasps' intelligence was only slightly above their smaller counterparts but their ability to communicate with the qiraji enabled a great amount of training. That enabled them to work as a team and to analyze any tracks they could find.

However, Etiksh knew they were unlikely to find anything near the edges of the forest. The storm had washed any footprints away and any tracks the Sar'nexar could have left have long since been washed away. That is why the silithid moved quickly forward, not stopping anywhere for long. The rebels were still in these woods and the wasps wouldn't rest before they were found.

* * *

White light illuminated the trees of the pitch-black forest. Most of the light was cast by the two moons, shining above the dark world below them. Most of the cultures of Kalimdor saw these moons as a mother and child, seeking each other's comfort every few centuries. The day of them perfectly converging above each other was only a few decades away. Most of the continent's cultures called this event "the Embrace" but the qiraji had completely different ideas of this most unusual celestial event.

The qiraji never knew their parents as they were born into nameless clutches of hundreds of siblings. The qiraji queens were hidden deep below the stones of Ahn'Qiraj and they were very little known, mainly due to the nature of birth of every qiraji. Actually, nearly every qiraji alive had been born from five or six queens so family or parenthood meant very little for them.

For this reason, in contrast with their neighboring cultures, the qiraji had different names for the twin moons. The larger one was called Ne'xiro or "Lantern". Even with their strict view of the world, the qiraji were free to seek solace or inspiration from the world surrounding them, making the larger moon a symbol of the beauty in the world. It was a light that illuminated the dark world, enabling the qiraji to work for good even in the black hours of the night. It was a rare occasion to the qiraji where a qiraji could feel to be an independent being. It also carried a different meaning: with its much more easily distinguishable, owing patterns, it was the nightly lantern, a guide for the qiraji.

On the other hand, the smaller moon, Foz'zero, didn't have such concrete functions. It cast very little light and its movements were highly obscure even to the prophets. For these reasons, it was called "the Wanderer". It was the symbol of uncertainty and fear. Many qiraji prophecies told that Foz'zero would stop its eternal stray and join the Ne'xiro when the qiraji fulfilled their race's destiny. Before then, the higher Foz'zero was, the hazier the future became. It was seldom a good omen when the smaller moon was higher in the sky than the smaller. They were now exactly on the same level but slowly, the Foz'zero rose ever higher.

The Embrace, too, had a qiraji name. Ku'jivexx, or the Homecoming, was a reminder that anyone, no matter how lost, still had hope of an eventual redemption. Every time Ku'jivexx was approaching, Ahn'Qiraj would calm down to remember and listen to stories about the heroes of the War of Inception and the builders of the great city. It was a happy if silent occasion, highlighting the gift of the qiraji in being born in the Empire. It was a time for paying respect to their elders and trying to reconcile one's fears with the humbling if somewhat relieved atmosphere of the city. Due to the rareness of the event, the celebration lasted for two weeks before the occasion, preparing the qiraji for this most sacred of events. Sirexx had always wanted to see Ku'jivexx and to feel Ahn'Qiraj in its festive atmosphere. However, that was over now and it was highly unlikely that he would live the next few decades to even see it.

The brown qiraji followed at the Wanderer's silent journey through the sky. Even now, he didn't know what to expect from the qiraji beliefs. Was Foz'zero simply a white circle in the sky or was it something more? An omen of evil or salvation? Or perhaps the vessel on which Alt'hesh and Idh'lash's souls now lay… He couldn't say. He fell asleep looking at the twin moons, perplexed by their mystic, ever-changing relationship.

Danoxx looked at the climbing Wanderer. He could very well relate to the legends about the causes of its loneliness and its eternal moving through the sky. Never before had he felt such connection to legend, to qiraji tales about the origins of the world. Danoxx felt himself growing ever lonelier, with Ra'jol constantly growing more distant and aggressive.

 _We'll have to help you realize your destiny, Foz'zero? Heh, I cannot even fulfill my own, whatever it is. We're both outcasts, even if both of us caused it ourselves. We'll see if either of us will ever find the solace we seek._

Danoxx didn't know it himself what he was even looking for but that mattered little as he followed Foz'zero climb ever higher in the sky. Whatever would happen in the coming days was growing more obscure by the minute, implicating both disaster and a chance for a miraculous salvation.

* * *

 **Each of the former teammates has come to terms with the rapidly escalating situation. However, accepting the coming showdown in one's kind may be easier than to actually face the truth eye to eye. That moment is approaching slowly... I hope you enjoyed the latest installment in this story! I hope to continue publishing the last few chapters in somewhat similar pace. Until then, take care and have a great week!**


	34. The Four Traitors

**The Four Traitors**

 _Squawk! We need flesh to rend, meat to eat! Sisters not happy with this little to kill!_

The large, bird-like creature flew among the trees, looking frantically around her, scanning for any poor fool to rend and eat. The harpies were a native race of the plains and forests of central Kalimdor but some tribes ventured further to the south, in search of new species to kill and less tribes to compete with. Moistwind tribe was one of them. The harpies were highly primitive, carnivorous beings who took pleasure mostly by causing pain and corrupting other races, twisting all they held dear beyond recognition.

Moistwind Tribe was composed of vile witches that were specialized in dark magics to infect the ancient forests with a cancerous disease. Many of the animals had already succumbed to this new sickness, their innards rotted by the dark magic. However, this meant that they could no longer eat the animals as they were terminally infected. This meant that some of the harpies had to look for something else to eat. The harpy's eyes widened as she saw a group of strange-looking beings running through the forest.

 _Squawk! New, strange food. Must call others to help! Squawk! We kill pathetic insects!_

The green harpy then emitted a blood-freezing call that carried many kilometers even in the thick forest.

* * *

"What the heck was that?" Sirexx cried as the call subsided somewhat. Very few qiraji had heard that sound but it filled those few with dread. Especially Ke'nir. He had had many dealings with harpies before and none of them had been pleasant. His voice was shocked and wavered as he answered Sirexx's question.

"Harpies! They will stop at nothing to skin us alive and then feast on our remains. Or even worse… That was their rallying call!" Ke'nir looked at the others with a worried expression.

"Can we outrun them? Or try to shake them off in some other way?" Svr'ash asked hopefully, his mind fixated on the eerie silence that had descended upon the forest. No voices could be heard but it was apparent to everyone that the silence wouldn't last long. The harpies were coming from the depths of the woodland.

"They fly very fast so no to the first question… but they aren't too clever. Perhaps we might be able to trick them by some fake voices, like rock throwing or some small explosions in the air…" Ke'nir tried to think about the ways to trick their sudden chasers but he could hear his time was running short. It was mere seconds before the harpies would reach them. He spoke in a much lower but more demanding voice to his comrades.

"Get down the hill, now! Cause as much fake voices as you can but keep your positions a secret!" The four other qiraji complied almost immediately and started to descend down the gently sloping hill.

* * *

"Squawk! The insects escape! Catch, them kill them, sisters! Disembowel the weaklings!" The green harpy shouted as her side started to fill with her brethren. She had seen the escape of the qiraji but hadn't followed them as there was the distinct chance of the others not finding her. The harpies had little patience for wrong calls: anyone who wasted the whole tribe's time was as good as dead.

The harpy pointed down the hill, revealing the prey's escape route. There was no way they could hide from dozens of hungry, bloodthirsty harpies. A larger, red harpy approached the green harpy and spoke in a raspy, aggressive voice.

"They better be found! If not, you will be regretting your birth before the evening!" The red harpy then joined the hunt, with the green, smaller harpy following her closely. They had barely reached the cliff when a powerful boom could be heard on their right. It made more noise than actual effect but it cut many branches around the epicenter of the small explosion.

"There they are! Catch them! Kill them!" The red harpy squeaked in a painfully high-pitched voice, not knowing anything about the powers their opponents possessed.

* * *

But the harpies weren't the only ones who had heard the explosion. Two antennae begun to twitch in anticipation as the insect started to fly towards the source of the explosion. The red silithid knew its target was far away but with any luck, it would be able to find it, especially in case it made any more noise. It would let no clue go to waste if its target truly were the hated traitors.

* * *

"Just like that Sirexx. The harpies will have a hard time following us. I'll do the next explosion." Svr'ash said as he saw the harpies investigating the impact around the explosion.

"They'll never find us. An enemy who knows little about the tricks of the qiraji has little chance to deny us." Sirexx chuckled to himself as he saw the harpies squeaking in rage as they tried to find the prey as small pebbles hit the ground all around them. Ke'nir and Kritass were on Sirexx and Svr'ash's right whereas Yr'haxx was alone on their left. They had split up into three groups in order to cause even more confusion to the harpies.

Sirexx covered his ears as he saw the large, red harpy being thrown to ground by a larger explosion, apparently cast by Yr'haxx. She wasn't seriously hurt but her fury had grown tenfold because of the insufferable attack. This was a good opportunity to escape further from the enraged bird-women.

* * *

"Fools! They're not here! Squawk! They're vile, sneaky villains! Spread all around, they're not far!" The red harpy's cries were terrifying to hear to any outsider but by now, it was also making the other harpies seemingly frightened. Either the escaping qiraji were caught, or then some of the harpies were going to pay for this humiliation, the green one most of all.

* * *

Yr'haxx had expected this reaction. He threw one last stone until he begun to follow the others deeper into the forest. The harpies were in clear disarray, their troops just flying around with no purpose, searching the bushes around them in desperation. Now all that was left was to disappear deeper into the woods, and losing their chasers for good. As he turned around, he moved his hand one last time, causing another small explosion among the chasers. After that small gesture, he vanished among the forest, leaving confused harpies behind him.

The red wasp clearly trembled as it heard the latest explosion. Its sensitive antennae found loud noises uncomfortable but at least it got one last hint about location of the rebels. When it arrived at the cliff, its face dropped as it first thought that the harpies had caused the voices. But when it saw the broken branches and the clear marks in the ground, it knew that no harpy magic could cause those effects. The insect raised its gaze and looked into the distance and flew towards the bushes a few hundred meters away. When it arrived over them, its antennae begun to receive messages from the vegetation below it. It couldn't tell what the qiraji were talking about but it knew that there were no other qiraji around the region in addition to the rebels. It emitted an extremely high-pitched call, a call inaudible even to the qiraji. After the humiliating escape, the Sar'nexar had been found again.

* * *

" _Hmmm… Yes, makes sense. What? Are you sure?"_ Etiksh commented on the report of the red wasp. The insect answered with crude squeaks and gestures, telling everything it could about the position of the Sar'nexar. Etiksh turned around and addressed his group.

"Yes, the traitors have been found once again. This wasp here found them almost a day's journey to the east. They had some problems with harpies which enabled this most fortunate discovery." Etiksh took a short break, observing the reactions among his followers. They ranged from curious, asking expressions to outright enthusiasm.

"The wasp stayed hidden to their eyes. Unlike the last time, we let them think they're safe, that we don't know where they are. Firstly, this way they won't run at their absolute top speed and most importantly, we can ambush them! No hubris this time, just a brutal attack! We'll kill them in their sleep!" Etiksh lined out his plan, and it received a receptive audience. Ra'jol took a quick look at Danoxx, realizing that their plan would have to go through a few changes in this scenario.

* * *

"Etiksh probably wishes us to go first so that we'll be the first to die." Danoxx whispered as the group resumed its run once again.

"Exactly, which means that Etiksh won't get what he wants. Sirexx and Ke'nir won't die in their sleep, they wouldn't deserve that. We'll do a slight mistake which ends up awakening the rebels before we reach them!" Danoxx paled as he listened to the plan. This went too far from his usual missions to his liking.

"You understand that we're guilty of the same scheming that Etiksh blames us for?" Ra'jol chuckled to himself at the question, surprised that Danoxx still hesitated to rise up against Etiksh.

"Does that bother you?"" Ra'jol asked simply, willing to get Danoxx think about their plan in more detail. Danoxx waited for a moment before he answered. If the prophets ever knew about this conversation, he was as good as dead. Additionally, Danoxx and Ke'nir _had_ to die if he wished to live. But on the other hand, if Etiksh had his way, he would die anyway. At least if Etiksh was out of the way, some of Danoxx's old squad would live through this. His answer was clear.

"Etiksh isn't a part of the Ahn'Qiraj I'm fighting for. If killing him is treason, then so be it." Ra'jol smiled at the answer and looked forward, into a small valley their path was slowly descending. Etiksh would regret turning the two Unseen into his enemies.

The dense forest was slowly starting to make way for dryer, less vegetated areas as the region was slowly starting to turn into Thousand Needles. Sirexx couldn't believe his luck that the Sar'nexar had made their way through Feralas with only one real close call: he was truly beginning to believe that he would live to see Dustwallow Marsh alive. It would take only two more days until its largely unexplored, hostile reaches would open up before him. Sirexx did his best to try to keep his hopes in check, trying to see this journey one day at a time. His eyes moved towards another thing that had troubled his mind ever since their last farewell to Ahn'Qiraj. Kritass.

The gladiator still largely kept to himself, speaking very rarely. Even if they had never been particularly close, Sirexx knew this wasn't the Kritass he had known in Silithus. It was clear that the poor qiraji was deeply troubled by his injuries. For better or worse, he would have to made comfort the reality. He couldn't live the rest of his life hiding his head in a piece of Unseen cloak. The gladiator was sitting apart from the other Unseen, at the foot of a giant tree. Sirexx approached him calmly and asked in a soft voice.

"Wouldn't you want to join us, Kritass? We're about to play a few rounds of Me'lesh before we'll call it a day. It seems Yr'haxx has a board with him." Kritass moved his head slightly toward Sirexx after which he said in a silent, dismissing voice.

"I'm not interested, thank you, Sirexx." Kritass thought the conversation would be ended by his answer. Sirexx, however, wasn't done yet.

"Kritass… we're lucky to be here. You're lucky to be here. What I mean is that… you're one of us. Whatever may happen, don't think that you must isolate from us." Sirexx spoke in a comforting, friendly voice. He tried to sound as empathetic as he could.

"You don't know what you're talking about. It's eating my head by the minute. I can take the pain but I don't want to end up as an already dead husk that lives by the pity of others. Even though that could be what I already am." Kritass answered coldly and with a sorrowful voice. It was clear that a heavy weight was on his heart.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. You saved me when we fought against Skeram, remember? You stood by Alt'hesh at the darkest moment and even on his journey, you've never been a burden. Few qiraji without a chela can claim the same feat. Whatever comes to pass, you will always have my respect and gratitude. Believe me, you don't deserve to spend your days alone, just waiting for death." Sirexx was taken aback by Kritass's answer. Did the gladiator really he was a useless weight, loathed by his comrades?

"The others may see things differently than you do, Sirexx. They don't owe me their lives and most of them don't know me even as well as you do. While I might have done my part, I'll be an eternal twisted husk of myself, a feared and pitied monster! You haven't seen my face!" Kritass suddenly seemed to break down, his voice starting to tremble and turn into despair. It was clear that the acid had done hideous job. Sirexx asked carefully, trying not to disturb the rather young gladiator any more.

"I'm sorry for even asking but… have even you?" Kritass started to shake his head sorrowfully.

"No… I just cannot. But I can feel the damage." The gladiator sobbed slightly as he once again begun to delve in his own fears. Sirexx gulped heavily as he prepared to propose something that he knew would earn a swift rebuke from the crushed gladiator.

"Kritass… You cannot continue to go on like this. Whatever has happened, each of us should be able to face it." Sirexx spoke carefully as he looked Kritass slowly register what he was suggesting. His emotions changed from surprise to disbelief and finally rage. Sirexx was proposing something that the gladiator had actually considered only in his own nightmares.

"Absolutely not! No one will see my face! No one must see it…" Kritass had delved for too long in his thoughts of denial to finally come into terms with the full implications of the Protector's toxins. Sirexx looked at him with an apologizing expression.

"I may have made it this far easily but I've lost half of my chela too. It's nothing compared to your injuries but few of our kind live maimed even as long as we have. It may have made my loss somewhat easier that I lost my oldest and dearest friend that night. In any case, I've continued to serve my comrades since that night, despite this handicap." Sirexx tried to make Kritass see that his worth was decreased none by his injuries.

"I'm sorry, Sirexx… But I lost last of my comrades in the Temple. I'm a gladiator, dammit! I can never be a complete part of an Unseen group!" Kritass quickly turned to look at Sirexx with a resolute look. Sirexx looked at the gladiator, somewhat surprised by his answer. Apparently the gladiators were even more frantically trying to keep to their own caste.

"And? We didn't choose our caste. It's true that most of the gladiators I've known are self-righteous and arrogant but does that bind you? I've already seen it doesn't. As I've already said, you've already proven yourself to be a companion worthy of any Unseen's, or battleguard's, trust. Even if we're of different caste doesn't mean that we can't work together!"

"That's easy for you to say. I highly doubt you'd be in any better spirits in a gladiator group. If we'll live Dustwallow Marsh, I'll have to think things over. But… I think you've managed convince me. You proved your loyalty and companionship in the Temple and I know that you wouldn't lie to me, especially since I've directly saved your life. I'll remove this hood and let you see me face. But don't tell anyone else about what you see: they will know when I'm ready for it." Kritass spoke carefully and in a beaten, exhausted voice. It was clear that he wasn't ready for what would happen but he knew he couldn't escape the truth forever. For better or worse, the extent of his injuries would be revealed tonight.

Sirexx looked at Kritass in deep worry and fear of what he would see. He knew the sight could haunt his sleeps for the weeks to come but he had to do it for Kritass.

"I don't know about you but the gladiators receive their trinkets when they're ready to join the caste, even if they're still powerless. The trinket is charged whenever the prophets would find us worthy. I have this yellow gem. Even if it's quite small, I think I can roughly see my own face as reflection. At least I'll be spared the worst of the details." Kritass started to open the knot he had tied around his neck. Slowly, Kritass' hood started to drift away and reveal the head under it.

It took clear effort from Sirexx to not begin stepping back or letting his own face twist into an abhorring mask of fear. Half of Kritass's right eye had corroded away, leaving the eye's upper half hanging in the half-empty socket. The flesh around it had all but withered away, leaving the cheek around it looking like a mix of bone and putrefying scars. Kritass' other jaw had been completely destroyed leaving a sickly hole in his lower face. The gladiator's face's left side was somewhat intact but it was still marred by hits of the toxic, creating deep, scars, making mockery of the last vestiges of who Kritass used to be.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Kritass." Sirexx managed to splutter at last. His voice sounded meek and apologizing but Kritass smiled at him as well as he could with his face. It was an expression that wished to ask" What did I tell you? Now you understand." Kritass took his gem and looked at it for a while. After a moment, Kritass started to sob and started to tie his hood back to his neck.

"It's just as I feared. Please leave me, Sirexx. I... I have some thinking to do." Kritass said at Sirexx who looked at him in dumbstruck.

"Thank you, Kritass, for trusting me with this. Try to have a good night." Sirexx said finally before turning away. Kritass had already returned to his original sitting spot, this time burying his head in his remaining chela and crying audibly. Sirexx walked stiffly, clearly deeply disturbed by the extent of Kritass' injuries. Sirexx wanted to believe he could bring himself to see Kritass as he used to be. But even more importantly, Kritass had to accept the situation himself. The thought haunted Sirexx as he knew he would never be able to live with such a monstrous injury.

* * *

Ra'jol looked at the dark forest around him. He had lived all his life in the desert but even then he couldn't deny that the view of nightly Feralas enchanted him. The whole atmosphere of the land seemed to multiply the light of the stars to the extent that he could walk without problem in the pitch-black night. The nightly wind formed a gentle, warm and welcoming refreshment in the unusually humid climate of Feralas. He couldn't help but wonder why his friends didn't see the glory of the Creator's work in the world around them. If He could create something like this, how could he be evil?

"We're close. The rebels are behind the two hills in front of us. They seem to be oblivious to our presence. Go around them and kill them before they know we're here!" Etiksh spoke in an excited voice.

Ra'jol quickly woke up from his thoughts as he heard the Eminent Defender address his followers. He was surprised they had managed to reach the escapees this easily but on the other hand, the wasps had guided them through the quickest and easiest paths to their location. Ke'nir might be a skilled tracker but he wasn't a walking map of Kalimdor. Ra'jol briefly exchanged glances with Danoxx and nodded slightly The two had already made their plan regarding this moment, the only remaining challenge left was to execute it without Etiksh noticing anything unordinary.

"Where are they sleeping?" Asked a rather small yet muscular-looking gladiator.

"In a small thicket, surrounded by large bushes. They apparently deem them to be safe from the wasps in that place as they don't seem to have any guards. We'll do as we have already planned: seven gladiators and Danoxx goes to the left side, I, Ra'jol and seven others go to the right. We outnumber them three to one: we shall not fail. Now, go! The sooner we get back to Ahn'Qiraj, the better." Etiksh declared in a tired voice. It was clear that he would no longer tolerate anything other than a perfect victory.

Ra'jol smiled internally as the two groups begun to move around the two hills from opposite directions. It was up to Danoxx to try to get Etiksh make a wrong move but it was up to Ra'jol now to prolong the fight enough to make Etiksh's demise more likely. He took his old crystal from his pocket. The same crystal he had used so many times to communicate with the very comrades he was going to kill. Ra'jol smiled sadly as he prepared to activate it for the last time. Etiksh wanted to kill the rebels in their sleep but that contradicted with the duo's plan.

Ra'jol looked at the gladiators who walked beside him. With luck, he would able to hide his brief warning from the gladiators. He raised the gem closer to his antennae and sent small vibrations towards it. After he didn't receive an answer, he decided to increase the risk somewhat and sent his message in a louder tone.

"Sirexx? Ke'nir? If you wish a chance to live, you better wake up!" Ra'jol's voice was sharp and commanding as he didn't wish to begin a debate in case the two answered him. After a few moments, to Ra'jol's surprise and delight, a sleepy yet still deeply disturbed Ke'nir answered.'

"Ra'jol? What is going on? How can you still…" Ke'nir's voice suddenly dropped as his mind registered what it meant that the large Unseen was able to call him. The range of the crystals was at best a few hundred meters!

"Excellent that you're awake! Now you know the attack is coming. Believe me, it is mutually beneficial that you know about this…" Ra'jol put the crystal back to his pocket, in order to minimize the chance that the gladiators saw his little conversation. Ke'nir would surely make the others know about the attack. Etiksh's plan had already failed and if Danoxx did his part of the plot well, the gladiator captain would never get a chance to this time correctly accuse the Unseen for this surprise. Ra'jol dearly regretted being this blunt towards his former comrades but he had long since acknowledged the coming showdown.

Ra'jol took a look at the sky and took a displeased expression. Foz'zero was high this night, even higher than before. This was an ill omen but for who? If the Wanderer overshadowed the Lantern of the world, any kind of fate could befall upon the qiraji. Luckily this omen could work both ways: the rebels didn't see a different moon than the qiraji still loyal to the prophets.

Behind the hills appeared a wall of enormous trees, large enough to hide a group of kodos. Ke'nir clearly knew what he was doing but to his misfortune, his choices didn't stay as a secret. Near the thicket was a small stream, flowing towards the Thousand Needles. If left undisturbed the rebels could have reached the Barrens by the following day. If only.

Ra'jol took his knives from his pockets, getting them ready for the imminent battle. The rebels were surely already ready to ambush them whenever they would enter their sanctuary. Whether the last survivors of Danoxx's old squad would be the ones aligned with the prophets or those who tried and failed to overthrow them, would be decided on this windy, pitch-black night.

* * *

 **The final showdown between the former friends is ready to begin. There are many loose ends to be tied between the characters and the coming battle will be more than a normal manhunt. The next chapter should be done before New Year's Eve. Originally I planned to finish the story before then but plans change surprisingly often. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Until the next one, have a Merry Christmas!**


	35. The Duel in the Glade

**The Duel in the Glade**

"Wha… Ke'nir, what's going on?" Sirexx mumbled as he felt Ke'nir's hand shaking him awake.

"I'll explain when we're all awake. Yr'haxx, wake up!" Ke'nir moved to the next qiraji and woke them up one by one, as silently as he could. Sirexx looked at him in surprise at the short qiraji as Kritass was being woken. Sirexx knew his friend well enough and knew that something was badly amiss.

 _What is going on, Ke'nir? What has happened?_

Ke'nir turned to look at the four other qiraji in a disturbed look. He started to explain the situation in a confused, odd voice. As he mentioned Ra'jol's name, he quickly realized that the others wouldn't know who killed Uvesh and clarified the situation.

"Believe or not, Ra'jol… He's mine and Sirexx's former teammate, the one who killed Uvesh, contacted me via our crystals that both of us have apparently kept with us. You probably know what that means?" Ke'nir asked as the implications of Ke'nir's questions became apparent. Sirexx's gaze fell as he heard about Ra'jol. Svr'ash, however, answered quickly.

"Contacted!? Why would he do that? He's our enemy and I doubt his will to switch sides after his "heroic" deed."

"I haven't got a smallest clue, Svr'ash. All that we have to know is that we're soon under attack! Prepare your weapons and try to find good spots to defend! Even if they lost many members at the swamp, they still outnumber us three to one!" Ke'nir's tone turned into one of concern and demanding. After all their fights, however, they had very little accessories left. All of the poisons were gone as were most of the knives. Left were two smoke bombs, four knives and some bandages in addition to their chelae.

Sirexx looked at his empty belt with a sick feeling in his gut. It would take a miracle to beat the attackers with practically no poison. The only advantage they had at this point was the terrain. The five Sar'nexar knew the thicket relatively well and could try to confuse or outmaneuver the slower gladiators. The rebels exchanged glances as they for the defense.

"We must stick together. Let's show them the reason we're called the Unseen. Take them out one by one and try to dispense the two Unseen quickly. "Yr'haxx proposed as the others slowly readied for the coming battle. Sirexx smiled at him and answered quickly.

"Let's show them why attacking Unseen in the night isn't a good idea. Let's see what way they're going to attack. They must be close: we must see them before they see us." The five qiraji begun to move to the southern side of the small thicket It was only a few minutes' walk and they looked from among the bushes into the dark plain. Svr'ash was the first to see something.

"Three, four, five… They're coming in huge gaps but I can see only eight of them." Ke'nir glanced at him quickly before he begun to scan the environment carefully. To his regret, he had to admit Svr'ash was right.

"That means that the rest are most likely going to attack from the northern side. That cannot be helped: we must kill as many of this group as we can before the other group can surprise us."

Sirexx looked at the approaching forms in the wide descending glade. It would take only a few minutes until they reached the pitch-black woods. The two moons painted the plain white, enabling the rebels plan their moves far further than the attackers.

* * *

Danoxx gritted his jaws as he saw the forest approaching in front of him. If Ra'jol had succeeded in contacting the Sar'nexar, the initial encounter would prove to be extremely dangerous. He had to act as if he was completely oblivious to the fact that the rebels were most likely waiting for them. Even then, Danoxx planned to live through the first stage of the attack.

The High Ambusher looked at Etiksh's back as the gladiator captain lead the attack a few dozen meters to this right. He would have to get closer to the Eminent Defender in order to maximize the chances for his demise. Danoxx knew that the rebels were most likely watching their every move even now and planning the most effective way to stop the attackers. But he also knew that they had most likely ran out of any accessories the Unseen needed in order to fight effectively. Even without Etiksh and probably a few other gladiators, the qirajis loyal to Ahn'Qiraj still held an immense advantage due to their superior numbers and equipment.

* * *

"Why is Danoxx slowly leaving his post? Does he think the leader need more protection?" Ke'nir asked to himself. He had obviously followed Danoxx's advance with special interest and noticed that the High Ambusher had slowly moved towards the right, leaving the two attackers furthest in the right relatively isolated.

"In any case, we must pick up those two first. They won't stand a chance…" Yr'haxx said with a firm voice.

"Indeed… let's move to the right to greet the first slaves of C'thun…" Ke'nir said as he moved deeper into the woods and headed to the right side of the woods. The others followed him closely.

* * *

Etiksh was only a hundred meters away from the forest when a wasp returned from its regular scouting mission. Etiksh' expected nothing out of the ordinary and was quite confident about his position when the insect started to relay his message. The gladiator's face changed from calm to angered and then he paled somewhat. The two gladiators on the right would fall unless he acted swiftly. Quickly, he relayed a new command to the silithid and sent it to warn the two gladiators.

* * *

"Damn! That wasp decided to spoil our plan! It will reach the gladiators before they reach the forest!" Yr'haxx hissed as he saw the insect "talk" with Etiksh.

"You're right… Which means we cannot wait! We must take the two out now!" Ke'nir said quickly. Yr'haxx took a quick look at him and saw that Ke'nir was serious. Before he noticed it himself, he was running towards the two gladiators. They stopped on their heels and begun to approach each other. It was clear that they planned to survive long enough for the others to come to their help.

"Kill them, quickly, at any cost! We cannot linger here!" Ke'nir shouted as the Sar'nexar closed in around the two gladiators. Their faces communicated deep anxiety but they could already see the others running towards them. Whatever would happen, the Sar'nexar had given up their cover and further chances for surprise.

Sirexx faced an extremely large and muscular gladiator who was nearly twice higher than the Unseen. The former turned towards Sirexx but didn't move in order not to open his back to attacks.

"Well, is it all that heroic to die outnumbered? Neither of you ever cared for anything else than yourselves, cowards!" Kritass ran past Sirexx to face the huge gladiator, his voice still carrying the distinct pain he had felt ever since his conversation with Sirexx.

"You were always a weakling, Kritass. Are you trying to join this caste that has emerged as a taint of the qiraji race? You're already wearing their hood." The gladiator took a smug smile as he watched Kritass hit the larger gladiator with his good chela. Kritass, of course, knew that he would merely have to buy time for his comrades to take care of the gladiators. Sirexx and Yr'haxx reached for the giant's sides and prepared to strike. The gladiator noticed the danger and suddenly moved towards Yr'haxx and hit him with his chela. Yr'haxx, however, noticed the incoming attack and immediately stepped back and managed to take a crushing grip on the larger qiraji's chela. With a swift and panicked move, the gladiator kicked Yr'haxx and managed to fell the Unseen. Just as he was proceeding to finish the Unseen, his mistake caught up to him. He felt a knife sinking into his back and a chela crushing his left leg to pieces. Before he could understand what was happening, his ability to understand was completely ended by Kritass's chela snapping his neck. The massive gladiator fell to the ground, his injuries painting the grass bluish-green.

The remaining gladiator looked at his fallen comrade in shock and knew that he had practically no chance of defending himself until the help arrived. Etiksh was still two hundred meters away. He was already coming to terms with his fate when he felt several knives entering his body from several directions. The fight was over before it had even begun.

"Good job, everyone! Get back into the forest, quickly!" Sirexx called to the four other Sar'nexar. They had managed to take the early victory gifted to them by Danoxx for reasons only the High Ambusher knew.

* * *

Etiksh looked at the retreating rebels in rage. Not only were they expecting them but Danoxx had killed two of his subordinates with his apparent "mistake". Even Etiksh knew Danoxx's feats as a leader and there was no way he would make such a blunder now.

"Danoxx, be grateful that I don't cut you down here and now! You will answer to the prophets later on but for now, you lead the charge!" Danoxx smiled at the gladiator internally. There was no chance that this sorry excuse of Eminent Defender could even challenge him, let alone win.

"Very well, Etiksh! I'll go first but I need backup. The Sar'nexar work together and so must we." Danoxx said simply as he contemplated his strategy. Entering the forest might prove deadly but maybe he could trick Etiksh follow him close enough to pass the danger on to him.

"Very well. Ra'jol's group must have reached the forest already. We just have to outnumber them." Etiksh answered hesitantly as he hated to admit that the insufferable Unseen was right. The forest was in front of them: no one wanted to be the first target of the rebels but luckily that burden had been passed on to Danoxx.

* * *

The High Ambusher walked towards between the first trees of the forest. The woods were too dark for Danoxx to be able to see anything among the tall trees. Only the distant call of raven could be heard along with the silent hustling of the leaves. Danoxx looked in front of him frantically, trying to see even the least of hints about the whereabouts of the Sar'nexar. He couldn't linger for too long as Etiksh was right behind confirming his cooperation.

"Can you see anything, Unseen?" Etiksh whispered angrily. Danoxx listened for a moment and turned around scanning the bushes around him before he answered.

"No. Not a least of tracks anywhere! Not even a voice!" Danoxx hissed at the High Ambusher. It was clear that the eerie silence was beginning to get on both Unseen's nerves, in addition to each other's presence.

"Then look for them, dammit! Make no mistake, traitor…" Etiksh's threat was cut short by a sudden scream behind them. It was followed by a loud beating and the snapping of a neck. Etiksh's face was a mask of fear as he heard the next scream.

"They attacked from above! From the trees! One of them jumped on Ar'hash… He didn't stand a chance!"

* * *

Svr'ash smiled as he vanished among the trees after his deed. One more gladiator lied dead in the forest, not knowing who killed him. It was a masterstroke from Ke'nir to attack from the trees: the surprise element would be exhausted swiftly but at least they would probably get one more kill before Danoxx would find out their plan. He was about sink his chela into a tree and beginning to climb when another gladiator appeared from behind it.

"You're not going anywhere, scum!" He run towards Svr'ash, felling him into the ground and trying to hit him but the Unseen was faster than him. Just as he was preparing to run away from the gladiator, another blocked his path. These were not from Etiksh's group, meaning that Ra'jol's half of the chasing party had arrived. Etiksh could hear the gladiator behind him charging forward and he knew any sudden move could prove fatal.

However, what choice did he have? The two gladiators would overpower him sooner rather than later and there could be more on the way. After a heavy sigh, Svr'ash spanned to his left and tried to outrun the gladiators. The chase was on and whether Svr'ash would be able to lose his chasers would soon turn into a matter of life and death for him.

* * *

"Svr'ash got ambushed! Ra'jol's group has arrived!" Sirexx whispered as he watched Svr'ash disappear into the forest.

"Then we should take the leader out before they can join the rest! Afterwards we'll have little chance to penetrate their ranks without immense danger." Ke'nir answered slowly, clearly preparing for the effort. Sirexx gritted his jaws and turned his gaze towards Etiksh who was moving forward the spot where Svr'ash had disappeared. Soon it would be too late to prevent the reunion of the Eminent Defender's group.

"Let's go. Without their leader, the gladiators' coordination will deteriorate."

* * *

Danoxx followed Etiksh as the latter desperately tried to find Ra'jol and his group from the pitch-black maze of trees and treacherous roots and stones in the ground. He was really starting to feel troubled and fearful about the fate of his mission.

"Eminent Defender, take cover!" Danoxx jumped forward and felled the gladiator to his side. The captain was ready to attack the Unseen when he heard a thud just to his left. Three gladiators quickly formed a line between the attacker and their leader, defiant not to let him complete his plan. Ke'nir cursed in his mind as he noticed his failure. Danoxx had seen him in the trees and had had the time to save the Eminent Defender from the attack in time. No matter. He wouldn't let the gladiator escape. Sirexx and Yr'haxx followed him shortly and attacked the wall of the larger qiraji, trying to break their ranks. The numbers were as even as they would ever get.

* * *

Danoxx smiled as he saw Etiksh calm down from the initial shock. All of the gladiators were engaged in the battle and no one would be able to see the next episode.

"Drive them towards the tree! Don't give them a chance to escape or surprise you! Crush them!" Danoxx approached the Eminent Defender with an emotionless stare in his face. He pulled a dagger slowly from his pocket and when he was close enough, he pulled a deep sigh in preparation for his next move. Etiksh was too busy backing his troops to be able to pay attention to the Unseen behind him. With a decisive, swift move, Danoxx grabbed Etiksh's face with his chela, covering his mouth, rendering him unable to call for help. Danoxx whispered the last words into the Eminent Defender's ear.

"You should have thought twice before turning yourself against us. It's quite funny though: your mistakes made us guilty of the crimes you accused us for. Too bad you were too blinded by our own worth to see it." Danoxx spoke in an almost friendly, guiding voice as the gladiator tried to struggle himself free from the Unseen's grasp. With one, clean cut Danoxx opened Etiksh's throat and denied him even his final gurgles- In a few seconds, he put the lifeless Eminent Defender in the ground and vanished among the trees. It was time for him to rejoin Ra'jol and finish the job. Half of the squad was gone but they still had an edge over the rebels. The fight would continue.

* * *

Svr'ash stared around him in panic, disturbed by the fact that he wasn't able to lose his two chasers. He had tried to make a full circle, returning to his comrades while trying to shake off the gladiators. That tactic hadn't worked at all. He didn't even know himself where he was but he had to be close to the others. He was sure of it: he had come back the distance he had run. His eyes scanned the bushes around him, trying to recognize his position and find the way back to his comrades. The gladiators were only a few meters away from him when he heard a slight rustling from the bushes to his right. He quickly took a step to the left but it was already too late: a gladiator quickly emerged from his right, jumping towards hi and managing to grab Svr'ash's leg. The Unseen fell to the ground and watched in panic as his chasers approached him. He closed his eyes in anticipation of the coming end. There was no way to escape this situation: he just hoped he would have fallen in a fairer combat than this. After a moment he heard a raspy sound speaking to him.

"Though you could outrun us, traitor? I would love to demonstrate further our gratitude for the run and for the murder of poor Ar'hash… This is too easy death for you but we cannot waste time on you. Consider yourself lucky." Svr'ash felt a deep horror rise up in him but it was of little consequence. Soon a sword flashed in the dark night and with it, one more of the Sar'nexar left Kalimdor.

"Push! They are starting to hesitate!" Sirexx yelled as the three gladiators slowly started to question why Etiksh no longer commanded them. They could feel that something was quite wrong but the Unseen didn't leave them any chance find out why. A blow was answered by another blow but the Unseen managed to dodge many more than the larger gladiators. Finally, Ke'nir managed to trick his opponent in making a mistake: offering him a seemingly perfect opportunity to strike which the gladiator seized immediately. In an instant Ke'nir grabbed his chela and broke it with his own. The gladiator looked at his hemolymph-spraying thud of a chela, Ke'nir approached him and stabbed the gladiator into his chest repeatedly, ending his relentless attacks only when the qiraji's eyes were extinguished by the coming death.

With the Unseen being left free to help his comrades in their own fights. The already equal battles were quickly decided as their backs were now vulnerable to Ke'nir's attacks. Soon all three of the gladiators lay dead in the ground, the three Unseen winning their short moment of relief in the long fight.

"There's a fourth corpse, in front of that giant tree!" Yr'haxx said in a tired voice. Sirexx looked at the direction and went closer to inspect the deceased qiraji.

"It's the Eminent Defender we saw earlier!" Ke'nir looked at Sirexx curiously, relieved to find that their chasers' leader was dead.

"What killed him? Certainly not one of us." Sirexx inspected Etiksh's corpse in an attempt to find out what had killed the gladiator. It didn't take a long time for him to find the giant wound in the poor qiraji's neck.

"His throat has been cut open by an Unseen knife. There was only one Unseen here in addition to us." Ke'nir frowned at Sirexx's comment, not knowing what to make of the announcement.

"What is Danoxx doing? He cannot join us anymore and from what we heard, he cannot let us live."

Sirexx rose up from Etiksh's corpse, rejoining his two comrades at the dark glade.

"There must have happened something inside their group. Whatever his motives are, we are in Danoxx's debt." Ke'nir knew Sirexx was right but even then, the Danoxx's motive was mostly likely a selfish one.

"Have any of you seen Svr'ash?" Sirexx asked suddenly. He had forgotten the black Unseen completely in the midst of the fight. Danoxx and Yr'haxx's faced dropped as they registered Sirexx's words.

"I saw him escaping some gladiators. He should be able to outrun them…In it in his own hands to try to find us… There's no chance we could fight him anymore…" Sirexx had a hard time accepting his own words but he had to propose their next move.

"We haven't won yet: we have to get ready for Ra'jol's group's attack."

* * *

"Jukaxx, the traitors are this way!" Danoxx called as he approached the remaining group of gladiators from the forest. They were already moving in the same way Danoxx was pointing but Jukaxx, Etiksh's second-in-command looked at the Unseen suspiciously.

"Where are the others?" Jukaxx asked bluntly, sharing his leader's contempt at the Unseen. Danoxx took a fake, horrified expression and started to stutter slightly.

"Gone! They managed… to take a few of us out at first and finally we were ambushed… Etiksh was stabbed in the back while he led our defense. I cannot believe my luck that I managed to escape…" Jukaxx looked at him suspiciously, starting to move towards the High Ambusher.

"Are you saying that half of our squad is dead? And Etiksh with them?" Jukaxx narrowed his eyes as he looked at Danoxx in clear anger. Danoxx looked at the gladiator in a mixture of fake sorrow and true terror as he answered.

"It is as I said! They isolated some of us and ambushed us by attacking from the trees! We didn't stand a chance! And it's ridiculous if you think I let them die! If I wanted to join the rebels, I had a perfect chance! In contrast, I returned to warn you of their tactics!" Danoxx cried as he tried to was his hands from Jukaxx's suspicions. The gladiator couldn't question his logic but he had a hard time believing that the rebels could ever ambush Etiksh that thoroughly.

"I thank you for bringing the information, Unseen. However, my Eminent Defender never trusted you and now he's dead. I cannot prove that you helped in his demise but I can make sure that you won't betray us again. Hold him for a moment!" Two large gladiators grabbed Danoxx's chelae. The High Ambusher looked in horror as Jukaxx grabbed his leg. He looked for a moment and finally put his chela on the Unseen's ankle and slowly tightened his grip. After a moment, he could hear a slight snap and Danoxx's pained whimper. He rose up and waived Danoxx's tormentors to release him.

"You will run nowhere with that ankle, scum. You will help us and you will answer to the prophets later. I nothing else, this was a punishment for being a craven. Get up!" Danoxx had nothing to say. He rose to his knees and slowly to his feet. He could stand but only at the cost of a horrible pain. He panted heavily when he answered.

"Lead the way, Jukaxx. Make Etiksh proud." The gladiator snorted as he walked past Danoxx. Ra'jol approached Danoxx as the group begun to advance once again.

"So Etiksh is really dead?" Ra'jol whispered in a low voice. His voice held an apologizing tone but he knew a qiraji could endure much worse pain than Danoxx was feeling now.

"He is. The plan moves forward as planned. Svr'ash might be dead but otherwise all of them are still alive." Danoxx spoke in a pained but clear voice.

"Good job. I'll take care of those traitors. Without Etiksh, we just might survive." Ra'jol concluded as the group prepared for the coming confrontation.

* * *

"He's gone… he would have returned to us by now if he were alive." Ke'nir spoke sadly. It was becoming clearer by the minute that Svr'ash wouldn't return from the forest. It pained him even deeper as he knew that he would more than likely never find out the cause of his demise.

"And the battle is still on… If anything, they've suffered far more casualties than we have. We're in a better position now than we were an hour ago." Yr'haxx offered half-heartedly. His voice was unsure but somewhat hopeful. Sirexx smiled solemnly. Of course Yr'haxx was right but things didn't look any more hopeful.

"If Danoxx rejoined Ra'jol's group, they already know about our ambushes. They won't fall for them again: from this on, strike fast and use the shadows. We've got nothing to lose." Sirexx addressed his comrades of the coming fight. With Svr'ash gone, their chances of survival were growing thin. Kriyass wouldn't be able to join the coming ambushes but perhaps he would be of use later. For now, everything the three Unseen cared about was survival.

* * *

Jukaxx's eyes flamed in the dark night. His old captain and trusted mentor was apparently dead as were the chances of a swift victory over the rebels. If Danoxx's words were true, the gladiators had a real chance of failure. That alone filled the gladiator's mind with anxiety and bitterness. Etiksh had been a trusted leader and comrade and Jukaxx would stop at nothing to realize his revenge at his captain's killers.

He eyed the trees and bushes almost feverishly as he tried to find traces or signs about the possible attackers. Every shade the ancient trees cast could hide a deadly attack, adding another setback in the gladiators' already failed mission. Jukaxx wouldn't let that happen: he still had eight fighters against probably all five remaining rebels. He didn't know about Svr'ash's fate yet.

"Who's there!?" Jukaxx suddenly shouted as he heard a slight rustling voice in a nearby bush. A small squirrel then jumped from the bush, terrified by Jukaxx's outburst. The gladiator cringed at his mistake while Ra'jol had a hard time hiding his laugh. It was becoming clear that the situation was getting too dangerous for Jukaxx's nerves. Nobody said anything as they understood their leader's antics.

Danoxx, on the other hand, knew they were getting close. The glade where Danoxx had fallen was only about hundred meters away: the Sar'nexar could be nearly anywhere around them at this point.

"Cover! They're coming!" Ra'jol yelled suddenly as he suddenly jumped to his right. He made a collision with another Unseen, apparently foiling his ambush. In a few seconds, Jukaxx's group formed a defensive line, trying to surround the attacking Sar'nexar.

* * *

Yr'haxx cursed as he recovered his balance. His attack had failed and the Unseen Sirexx and Ke'nir had called Ra'jol had gained the initiative on him. Yr'haxx quickly withdraw into the woods, trying to regain his momentum. Ra'jol, however, wasn't planning on letting the other Unseen get away from this battle. He was preparing to treat him the same way as he had done to Uvesh.

* * *

Sirexx and Ke'nir landed a blow after blow on one of the gladiators, hoping to bring him down. The gladiator, however, managed to hold his ground, succeeding in holding the attack. The other gladiators begun to slowly move towards them but the fear of further attacks slowed them down. With an anxious look on his face, Sirexx yelled behind him.

"Attack, now!" In a few seconds Kritass appeared from the dark woods and begun running towards the other gladiator. The two Unseen quickly moved from his way, letting him charge at the gladiator. Kritass hit him at a high speed, making both of them fall to the ground. The Unseen quickly intervened, helping Kritass get on his feet quicker, and finished the gladiator on the ground.

"I cannot see Yr'haxx anywhere! Ra'jol also has left the group!" Ke'nir yelled as he noticed the duo's absence. Sirexx looked around him to confirm Ke'nir's observation. Eerie fears begun to creep into his mind.

"We cannot afford to let Ra'jol take down another one of us!" Sirexx answered before Ke'nir interrupted him.

"I'll go after them! Try to keep this group busy! I'll try to save Yr'haxx as fast as I can… and do with Ra'jol what we have to." Sirexx took a grim expression when he answered. It was finally time to do what it would take to save the last of their comrades.

"Please, Ke'nir… Be safe." Ke'nir quickly looked into Sirexx's eyes and nodded. Within a few moments, he was gone and Sirexx was left alone with Kritass to face the six remaining attackers.

* * *

Yr'haxx felt cold sweat rise within him as he constantly retreated under the larger Unseen's onslaught. Thus far he had managed to avoid his attacks but he stood no chance to ever land a decisive blow upon him. Unless a real miracle happened, he was done for. Ra'jol took a murderous smile as he threw another taunt at his opponent.

"You're actually better at this than… Uvesh, was it? That weakling fell in mere seconds whereas you have some fight within you. No matter. Your comrades are falling back there whereas you are simply waiting to be cut down." Yr'haxx didn't pay heed to his words and concentrated everything to simply stay alive. His concentration was broken by a voice that turned both combatants' gazes to its direction.

"You won't take down another one of us, Ra'jol. I will do what I must." Ke'nir spoke in a tired voice. It was clear that both a certain kind of relief and dread had awoken within him. Ra'jol turned slowly around, all the while keeping himself aware of Yr'haxx's actions.

"Ke'nir, things haven't been too kind to you since our last meeting. I told you to reconsider your decision." Ra'jol's voice was full of regret, a complete change from the toxic, hate-filled voice he used when addressing Yr'haxx. It was clear that this was a meeting both of the Unseen had waited even if with a fear-like dread.

"And what I said is still true. But I didn't come here to jabber about this thing again. Svr'ash is the last one of us you will get. We will escape from the prophets' clutches, one way or another." Ke'nir could have said the final word already but he wished to hear Ra'jol's answer.

"A noble goal for a traitor like you. Ke'nir… don't expect me to enjoy this. You made your decision yourself, now pay the price!" Ra'jol attacked Ke'nir quickly, an effort to which Ke'nir quickly answered. Even through the duo's difference in brute strength, Ke'nir knew he stood a chance against his adversary as long as he used all his skills to his best ability.

"Yr'haxx, aid the others! I'll take care of Ra'jol!" Ke'nir called at his comrade whose guard was briefly disturbed by the sudden command.

"What? We'll take this fiend down now! There's no reason to run!" Ke'nir's voice turned into an aggressive one, willing to hear no buts from his comrade.

"Ra'jol won't fall to backstabbing! I can take him down by myself but Sirexx and Kritass need help! Aid them, now!" Ke'nir's cry silenced Yr'haxx. Obviously Ke'nir would know his old friend better than Yr'haxx did but still he was reluctant to leave Ke'nir alone. After a moment, however, he understood that the two other Sar'nexar wouldn't be able to hold their ground forever against the numerically superior enemy. After a moment, he nodded and fled the scene. Ra'jol chuckled as the Sar'nexar disappeared into the forest.

"Impressive that you know me that well, Ke'nir. I always shelter my back from cowards. But you make a bad mistake in thinking you can beat me." Ra'jol spoke in a taunting voice. Ke'nir returned a blow before he answered.

"We never fought each other before, Ra'jol. Now is the time for you to prove that." Ke'nir spoke absentmindedly. He was already preparing for the encounter. Ra'jol simply snorted and took a fighting position. The two former friends scanned each other for a moment until they started their assaults. This was a fight where neither of the combatants truly expected to walk out uninjured.

* * *

"Yr'haxx! Where's Ke'nir and Ra'jol?" Sirexx asked as the Unseen appeared from the forest.

"They're fighting each other but Ke'nir sent me here! He wished me to help you withstand the pressure from these fiends!" Yr'haxx said as he moved to Kritass' side. Sirexx gritted his jaws as his thoughts immediately moved to his two friends, possible facing their ends from each other's chelae… and he couldn't be there. However, he had no choice on this matter: the gladiators were already pushing the Sar'nexar to their limits: without Yr'haxx's arrival the battle would have been lost.

* * *

 _So be it… Ke'nir, please be alright._

Danoxx limped slowly among the advancing gladiators. Thus far he had managed to stay with them but his injury stole nearly all his mobility and made his every movement a herculean effort to fight the pain. However, surrendering to the agony would probably be the last stroke that would prompt Jukaxx to execute him. Also, the sight of Yr'haxx running downhill towards the fight raised questions in Danoxx. Where was Ra'jol? If he and Ke'nir were fighting, why wasn't he helping his comrade? Danoxx could only hope his question would have a good answer.

* * *

Ra'jol felt slight annoyance rise within him. Ke'nir understood the importance of short-term retreat and new, surprising attacks, something Uvesh and Yr'haxx didn't. Ra'jol was physically far superior but Ke'nir wasn't about to let him use that to his advantage. In a constant melee fight, Ke'nir would be crushed in a minute but his use of the environment and his speed hindered Ra'jol's progress.

"You're better than yours friends, Ke'nir, I'll give you that. But you cannot win just by running. Come here and fight directly!" Ra'jol spoke to his opponent, willing to interrupt the annoying impasse.

"What if you fought with only your left chela? If you cannot land strikes on me, you deserve to lose. I'm sure the pig priest in the Barrens would agree…" Ke'nir grinned. Sirexx had told him about the encounter and according to him, Ra'jol's performance wasn't as good as he bragged now. Ra'jol looked at the shorter Unseen in annoyance, clearly unhappy by Ke'nir's quip.

"Bringing up fights where you never took part is hardly a good argument. From what I can remember, Danoxx did all the work for you that day. You were a mere burden the whole night!" Ra'jol knew he wasn't right but he had to answer to Ke'nir's taunt somehow. The shorter Unseen seemed to fall into his thoughts, his mind clearly wandering to other subjects.

"How's Danoxx, anyway? We never got the chance to meet him before we left…" Ke'nir's tone suddenly changed from the confrontational to almost somber, asking Ra'jol to answer as a friend, not as an enemy. Ra'jol quickly backed away, happy to get a moment's breather.

"He was crushed by the news. I don't know exactly his thoughts but he was woeful for days. I'm not exaggerating but I'm not sure about Danoxx's feelings. If I should guess, he regrets his squad's fate most of all. He doesn't blame you for your choices but he has acknowledged the reality. He could only try to help you so far… but you were too proud to heed his warnings!" Ra'jol's voice took a regretting tone, clearly trying to cause more unease to his opponent.

"If you win and I die, please tell Danoxx I'm sorry. Sorry for this situation but not for our choices." Ke'nir said in a low voice, causing Ra'jol to look at him oddly and hesitantly.

"That's more than you deserve… Show to me that you're at least worthy of a last wish! We might have been friends but I'm done doing favors for traitors! Etiksh's death was more than you could have asked for!" Ke'nir looked at Ra'jol coldly, registering the fact that Etiksh's death indeed was caused by the two. Ke'nir quickly jumped to his left, blending into the shadows. Ra'jol took a defensive position, eyeing the trees around him, trying to find out Ke'nir's next move. He was highly surprised when a large, powerful explosion started to form right below him. The large Unseen jumped to his left, avoiding the blast completely. However, Ke'nir attacked from the bushes right at him, preventing Ra'jol from defending himself. Ke'nir stabbed his old friend to his chest, one hit after another, causing the green hemolymph spraying all around the scene.

Ra'jol twitched in shock and horror. Ke'nir had managed to surprise him but he wouldn't let the Sar'nexar have the last laugh. The large Unseen put all his strength to one push to try to dislodge the deathtrap Ke'nir had put him to. The rebel qiraji seemed to already think he had won the fight when Ra'jol took a deep breath, preparing for the coming effort. With one, powerful move he tried to kick Ke'nir to his side, freeing himself from his grip. Ke'nir nearly lost his footing and just hardly managed to keep Ra'jol in place. However, the latter wasn't about to give up. He hit his head against Ke'nir's who was seemingly in pain. Finally, using his superior power, the injured Unseen broke Ke'nir's hold of his right chela and kicked the rebel to his side, finally freeing the injured qiraji.

"That… was a nice trick, Ke'nir. You almost got me!" Ra'jol panted heavily as he spoke, his green hemolymph flowing all around his cloak. It had previously been dark grey but not green streams striped it half green. Ra'jol's injuries were severe but neither of the Unseen knew whether it would be enough to kill him. However, all that mattered to Ke'nir was trying to survive Ra'jol counterattack.

The short, black Unseen struggled to get off the ground. He was still stunned by Ra'jol's hits, severe vertigo denying his attempts of swift escape. The dizziness and pain in his head rendered his ability to even think correctly temporarily useless, giving Ra'jol enough time to answer to Ke'nir's attack. He regained his footing far faster than his combatant and approached the still-staggering Sar'nexar. Ra'jol's mind was racing at the magnitude of what was happening. Here he had an opportunity to get rid of one of his worst adversaries, fortifying his position as a defender of the Creator's glory. However, he was also wounded, perhaps mortally, but if nothing else, Sirexx's outrageous yells to Etiksh would be paid in kind. Whatever would happen, he had paid his debt to the Creator.

Ra'jol kicked at Ke'nir before he prepared to finish his former friend. Ke'nir, while still very dizzy, was slowly regaining control of his body, finally finding the strength to continue the fight. Ra'jol was mere seconds late when Ke'nir bowed his head to dodge the incoming attack and move to Ra'jol's right.

"I thought so too… I should never expect my enemy to be dead until he is." Ke'nir spoke absentmindedly, trying to put his thoughts back together. Ra'jol was wounded: if Ke'nir waited for a few minutes, the injury itself might slow Ke'nir down just enough.

"I might be done for already but so will you in a few minutes. All these years you've been the one to annoy me most often, always whining about the Creator, always the weakest link in our team… Yet your advice and experience saved us many times. I should have expected no less from you." Ra'jol said slowly, willing to part ways with Ke'nir with a clear conscience and knowledge that he had done justice to his closest comrades. Ke'nir was taken aback by Ra'jol's words, surprised that Ra'jol even in his condition was ready to acknowledge the shorter Unseen.

"Ra'jol… I might have disliked you for your views and brash behavior but I never questioned your worth as a comrade or as a companion. I wouldn't exchange the memories of our time together even for my life in case I'll meet my end today. No matter what, I'll choose to remember us like we were before." Ke'nir spoke softly, willing to make amends with the qiraji he had thought had turned to his worst nemesis. Maybe Ra'jol hadn't changed at all: only his loyalties had.

"I suppose our allegiances were stronger we were. They created a growing divide: one which were unable close. It's up to us to prove which side of that divide was the right one. Prepare yourself!" Ra'jol spoke somberly as he understood that the battle had to be decided once and for all. For Ahn'Qiraj. For Danoxx.

Ke'nir eyed a fallen trunk a few dozen meters in front of him. If Ra'jol was unable to see through him and realize his plan, he might be able to put an end to the wounded qiraji. In an instant, he sprinted towards it, prompting Ra'jol to follow him. The latter was growing puzzled, fearing another surprise from his opponent. The trunk leaned towards another tree, enabling someone to climb to it and launch an attack from above it. Ke'nir wished to keep his plan secret, zigzagging on the way to his target. However, Ra'jol wasn't about to let him launch another surprise attack.

 _That won't succeed twice. Try to attack from the trunk and you're done for!_

Ke'nir looked at his chaser expectantly. He jumped to the glade where the trunk was from a slight hill, still thinking Ra'jol was oblivious to his plan. He stopped to the glade, waiting for Ra'jol's attack in order to get a better chance to use his possible mistakes.

Ra'jol was only a few seconds behind his opponent, reaching his position shortly after the shorter Unseen. Ra'jol resumed his powerful melee but he fought more cautiously now. There was no point in opening more chances for Ke'nir and with keeping his defenses up, Ke'nir would never win him. Even if he still planned to "surprise" him with an attack from the trunk or even tree, he could counter them easily.

Ke'nir had a hard time balancing his act between secure position and not raising suspicions in the other Unseen. He tried to forcefully repel the incoming attacks, hoping to open a window of opportunity to strike a decisive blow to the larger combatant. However, Ra'jol fought unusually safe considering his usual style. Until he decided to force Ke'nir to reveal his plans. He begun to advance on Ke'nir, resuming his regular tactics. This time, however, Ra'jol wasn't planning on crushing his opponent, yet, only forcing him to retreat and show his last tricks.

Ke'nir smiled inwardly, believing Ra'jol to have taken his bait. He started to back down slowly, giving way to Ra'jol's powerful blows. His steps slowly turned to the trunk, still willing to control the course of the fight. The black Unseen's steps begun to quicken, willing to end this fight fast. Sirexx still needed his help and Ke'nir didn't want to see that he was too late.

When the duo was mere meters away from the trunk, Ke'nir quickly turned on his heels and begun to climb it and when he found that he was in an optimal position, he jumped at Ra'jol… who was more than aware of his former comrade's plan.

Ra'jol smiled as Ke'nir launched his attack. The poor fool had bought his fake obliviousness: now was the time for him to pay for his gullibility. Ra'jol quickly grabbed a knife from his belt and dodged to his right. He aimed at Ke'nir's chest but the Unseen managed to avoid Ra'jol's trap's most dangerous part. However, his left leg made contact with Ra'jol's knife and the large, yellow Unseen pulled his knife at the limb with all his might. The blade sank deep into Ke'nir's leg, cutting a huge wound stretching from his hips all the way to his ankle. Ke'nir screamed in his pain as the knife cut its way all the way to the bone, even causing vicious breaks in them.

Ke'nir crashed into the ground, his face receiving the hit as he rolled forward. The Unseen felt an intense pain as he saw the ground swiftly turn greenish-blue below him, confirming his fears about his injuries. His face bled only a moderate amount but his leg was completely cut. However, Ke'nir didn't have the time to swell in the injury. Ra'jol was still in the fight.

The yellow Unseen grinned as soon as he saw that his plan was a success. All that was left was to finish the severely handicapped Ke'nir who wouldn't even be able to stand on his feet. He was as good as dead. Ra'jol felt an odd mix of excitement and horror as he looked at the bleeding, unmoving form in front of him. This was the qiraji who had stood with him during ther raid on Orith's tribe, who had shared the long days of travel and leisure during their various missions… and soon he would be no more. Even further, Ra'jol felt a distinct relief at the knowledge. Soon, after Sirexx would follow Ke'nir, only Danoxx would know about the breakup of the once-close squad which had been one of the strongest groups the Unseen had seen in decades.

However, Ke'nir wasn't quite as beaten as he looked. He lied still, unmoving but his chela tightened its grip around the Unseen's last knife. With luck, Ra'jol would drop his guard and Ke'nir would have a chance to finish the fight. A slow step, then a faster one… Ra'jol's hesitating steps slowly turned into a slow walk. Ke'nir listened carefully to his former comrade's steps, waiting for the best time to launch his surprise. He lied his face away from Ra'jol, leaving him only his hearing to locate where Ra'jol was.

 _Ten meters, nine, eight… Don't you expect anything anymore, Ra'jol?_

Ke'nir gritted his jaws when the yellow Unseen was only a few meters away. The time had come to see whether Ra'jol would be able to finish the fight.

With a swift move, Ke'nir threw the knife at Ra'jol, catching the larger Unseen completely by surprise. The blade sank into his face only a few inches over his mouth. Ra'jol screamed in pain as the well-aimed dagger sank into his head. Ke'nir struggled to rise to his one good leg and he knew that Ra'jol would regain his senses sooner or later. The black Unseen raised his chela and hit Ra'jol in his head, felling the powerful Unseen into the ground. Ke'nir's mind and heart raced as he delivered one blow after another on his former friend, sobbing heavily as he watched Ra'jol's face turn into a green mess and it soon became hard to recognize that the bloody mess had once been an Unseen.

Ra'jol screamed and twitched all around as he felt yet another hit in his face. He couldn't see anything anymore; his whole world was only an endless array of pain, multiplied by each of the many impacts that had caused him this suffering. Being unable to think clearly anymore, the Unseen spontaneously fought for a miracle, miracle that could save him from this fate.

However, just as his agony was at its peak, it soon started to slowly dissipate. Ra'jol's mind also begun to clear, letting to once again calm down, not really knowing the new sensation's cause. Everything seemed so far away… as if nothing mattered anymore. The sensation slowly deepened, grabbing the hapless qiraji with it. Ra'jol's struggle weakened by the second, dissipating from violent kicks into desperate twitching. Ra'jol remembered that he had completed his task, for the prophets and his friends. His thoughts were peaceful as his consciousness failed for the last time.

Ke'nir's eyes stared at the fading Unseen in deep, sickened horror. Ra'jol's fight was over: the black Unseen looked at his final breaths silently, unable to comprehend the situation. The horribly mutilated body in front of him filled him with nausea, the sight of Ra'jol's brains mixing with the green hemolymph, all of the contents of his head slowly forming a terrifying lake around the qiraji's last resting place. Ra'jol was gone.

Ke'nir moved closer to Ra'jol, his thoughts ranging from despair to extreme sadness. Completely forgetting their recent enmity, he moved to Ra'jol's side, whispering to his ruined ear as if the deceased qiraji could hear him. He begun to sob heavily, his tears filling his eyes as he addressed his comrade for the last time.

"Go to rest, Ra'jol… you deserve it. I'm so sorry… None of us should have gone through this. Just forgive me, please…" Ke'nir finally buried his head in his chelae, lying beside his friend for minutes on end until his own consciousness started to fade. He looked at his ruined leg, seeing that he was practically sitting in his own greenish hemolymph. The Unseen's thoughts turned to Sirexx as he realized his own probable departure was itching closer.

 _Finish our fight, Sirexx… I did my best…_

With these thoughts, Ke'nir's mind turned completely black, his unconscious body falling beside his dead friend.

* * *

 **The worst tension has been resolved but at a terrible cost. One of the protagonists has fallen and the rest are far from safe...**

 **I'm sorry about the slight delay but I hope the chapter is worth the extra wait. I'm quite happy about how this part turned out even though it was occasionally hard and slow to proceed with it. I've already started to write the next chapter and it should be posted within a week. Until then, take care!**


	36. Recovery and Goodbye

**Recovery and Goodbye**

Sirexx eyed the scene around him warily, as if he wasn't ready to believe what had just transpired. On the ground lied many gladiator corpses, which he and his two comrades had fought against and won, against all odds. He, along with Yr'haxx and Kritass, were all covered in nasty cuts and bloody hits but all of them were alive.

However, one detail raised concern within him. Where was Danoxx? He had seen his former High Ambusher in the fight limping heavily, without a doubt because of some kind of injury. Where was he? Had he escaped the fight before the end?

"Did either of you see where Danoxx went?" Sirexx asked his comrades, his voice carrying deep exhaustion in it.

"The last time I saw him was a few minutes ago. Also, there a few less corpses than what we fought. Two or three escaped." Kritass affirmed as he continued to count the fallen. Sirexx looked at him in slight relief.

"They won't be a threat at a fraction of their former strength…" Sirexx's face quickly fell as he seemed to recall something important. He quickly turned to Yr'haxx with a frightened expression on his face.

"Where did you leave Ke'nir? We must help him, now!" Sirexx exclaimed at the other Unseen, the adrenaline of the battle previously clouding his other thoughts. Yr'haxx turned on his heels, quickly heading for the small glade he had last seen Ke'nir.

* * *

Danoxx gritted his teeth and groaned under his breath. The swift retreat with his broken ankle was causing him severe pain and made it hard for him to follow the few gladiators who had managed to escape the battle. They moved at a fast pace, despite not expecting the rebels to follow them. After an hour of running, one of the gladiator finally stopped, the others following his example.

"What can we do now? We cannot return without proof of our mission's success!" A rather short gladiator exclaimed in rage.

"How could Jukaxx and Etiksh lose to those cowards? A gladiator must never lose to a filthy Unseen!" Danoxx looked at the two clearly worried. If his last comrades decided to turn against him, there was little chance for him to resist. He backed away slowly, trying to stay away from their sight. As the gladiators' verbal fight intensified, he noticed something interesting peeking out from a nearby bush. The ground around it was covered in hemolymph, demanding a closer look at its source. Danoxx pushed aside a few branches until he found what he was looking for. It was an Unseen corpse and a fresh one at that. Moreover, Danoxx knew who the deceased qiraji was.

 _Svr'ash… so that's why you weren't there fighting for us. Please tell me you still have it…._

The wounded High Ambusher searched the dead Unseen's pockets, hoping to find the object that could save his and the two gladiators' lives.

 _Aha! Thank the Creator you still had it… This will save my face!_

Danoxx looked at the late Sar'nexar's crystal, grateful beyond words that Svr'ash had kept it for so long. This was the evidence they needed to present to the prophets. He slowly put the crystal to his pocket and closed Svr'ash's still-open eyes for the last time. He had never really known Svr'ash personally but the Unseen deserved this last act of honor. Danoxx then rose up from the corpse, once again approaching his comrades the crystal in his hand.

"Look at what I managed to get my chelae on! I guess our mission's done, don't you think?" The two gladiators exchanged glances, communicating deep distrust on the Unseen. However, he might have just saved their hides. With Svr'ash and Uvesh's crystals, the prophets just might accept the completion of the mission. It wasn't likely that the last rebels would ever bother Ahn'Qiraj again. One of the gladiators grabbed the crystal from Danoxx's chela and said coldly.

"Consider this as a repayment for your deeds, filthy cripple. Don't do anything funny or else the prophets will surely search your mind…" Danoxx gritted his jaws but didn't answer the threat. If his were true, he had managed to survive the mission… unlike probably Ra'jol. Danoxx hadn't actually seen his friend fall but he had a bad feeling. There were slim chances that he had survived the fight but Danoxx still kept on to his slight hope. He hadn't even dared to contemplate the scenario that Ra'jol wouldn't return.

 _Ra'jol, please… Don't tell me that you're gone. You're better than this and you know it!_

With thoughts like these, Danoxx and the gladiators resumed their journey back to Ahn'Qiraj, hoping that the word for their failure would never spread inside the walls of the sacred city.

* * *

"Ke'nir, where are you? Answer if you can hear me!" Sirexx called on the small glade Ke'nir had led him. He had told the brown Unseen that this was the site of the battle but nothing could be seen or heard now. Nobody answered his calls which sent cold chills creeping down Sirexx's spine. Had both of the combatant's perished or even worse, was Ra'jol still on the hunt? The many drops of hemolymph on the ground confirmed Yr'haxx's story and only deepened Sirexx's fears. However, it also meant that the combatants couldn't be far. Whoever was the wounded one wouldn't be able run for a long distance.

Sirexx walked around the glade, scanning his surroundings in careful detail. There had to be some hints around the fighting ground, something to remind of the events that had transpired only a few minutes earlier. Nearly everywhere around the glade grew only, thick forest, the rare exception being mere openings to other similar glades. He walked around, looking at the other openings and finally, after many minutes of desperate searching, he found a slight trail of hemolymph, most probable from the same one who had received the severe injuries.

Sirexx begun to follow the trail which was growing thinner by the minute. The bleeding had stopped quickly: whoever had received them was lucky: the wounds didn't seem to be lethal. But the outcome of the fight was still unclear as the combatants were still missing. However, the trail would reveal it sooner than later.

The trail led to another, smaller glade which seemingly bore nothing different than the previous one. Sirexx, however, followed the trail and soon found what he was looking for. At the far other side of the glade, he saw two still forms lying, showing no signs of life. Sirexx sprinted immediately towards them, deep in horror over what he would find.

"Ke'nir! Answer me, please!" Sirexx pleaded but received no answer. As he approached the two Unseen, he stopped for a moment. His eyes rested on the sight of Ra'jol's ruined head, bringing endless horror and severe nausea upon the brown Unseen. His thoughts were completely clouded by the sight, not being able to part his gaze from the disgusting sight. It was only after many minutes that he managed to wrest control of his mind back. He once again resumed his walk and finally saw the other form behind his old friend's broken body.

Sirexx quickly begun to inspect Ke'nir's seemingly lifeless body, looking in horror at the ground. The black Unseen had lost a terrifying amount of hemolymph, only worsening Sirexx's already severe fears. He put his ear on Ke'nir's chest, listening if there was even a slightest heartbeat. After a moment, Sirexx could hear nothing and was already beginning to resign to the possibility that his friend was already gone. However, soon he heard it: one soft voice, confirming that Ke'nir was still alive.

"Bandage the leg with whatever you can find! He's still alive but the bleeding has to stop! There's not much time!" Sirexx called to his two comrades, rising from his knees and beginning to gather the thick, long vegetation that grew between the trees. He knew they were an unsure method, not necessarily stopping the bleeding. However, all the actual bandages were now used and there was no time to see if the dead gladiators had any. Ke'nir had only minutes to live.

All three of the Sar'nexar returned soon and begun to bind the plants together in an effort to tie them firmly enough to cover the entire cut. It was highly lucky that Ke'nir was unconscious: knitting through his chitin and flesh would be highly painful and any kind of struggling would ruin the chances of success.

"That should do it… The bleeding has stopped." Yr'haxx said in an exhausted voice after the weeds and leaves covered half of Ke'nir's leg. Sirexx looked at their handiwork, reluctant to agree with his comrade but he had to accept the truth. They had done what they could: all they could do now was wait for Ke'nir's recovery. If it would ever happen. Ke'nir was far too weak to say anything safe from his future.

"You're right. Ke'nir's fate is now in his own hands." Sirexx looked at his unconscious friend in an apologizing, regretting expression and sighed silently. Even if he was needed to fight down the gladiator group, he couldn't help but feel that he could have avoided this situation. His mind slowly turned back to Ra'jol, still horrified by the injuries he had received. He didn't have the slightest of ideas about what had transpired during the fight but the injuries both of the combatants had received was truly gruesome. Sirexx couldn't but loathe what Ra'jol had done to Ke'nir but he couldn't blame his deceased comrade for the fight. Whatever his motives, Ra'jol would never have fought dirty or wished to cause unnecessary pain to anyone. Throughout their time together, Ra'jol had never left his comrades' side or showed the least signs of being a coward or disloyalty. As Sirexx knew him, the yellow qiraji was always a worthy comrade.

"We must help Ra'jol begin his last journey, whether it is to the Creator or nothingness, I cannot say." Sirexx whispered sadly as the magnitude of his words registered on his mind. He had never foreseen this moment and wished it even less. The ordinary qiraji custom was to bury the dead in the sands of Silithus, the insects slowly grinding the deceased to being one with the sacred land and even further, with the Creator. If it wasn't possible to return the body to Silithus, it was usually burned when the wind was blowing towards An'Qiraj. It was his comrades' wish that the dead qiraji's spirit would find the holy land by joining the wind on its journey. However, none of these ancient rites were relevant now.

"What shall we do? We don't want him to join the Creator, do we?" Kritass asked carefully, not surprised by Sirexx's wish to perform the rites on his former friend but how would he do it?

"No… even though that's what he would want. We'll do a greater service for him. He lived with honor and courage and he will rest in peace, free from His influence. Maybe he will find in this ground." Sirexx said, his mind dwelling in the implications of the whole situation and even more, his idea to offer Ra'jol the best possible afterlife. He knew the choice wasn't his to make but he wanted to do what he thought was the right thing to do. The two other qiraji simply nodded, acknowledging Sirexx's authority in this matter.

"But we shall wait until Ke'nir awakes. I'm sure he would wish to bid his farewell as well." Sirexx turned his back to the two other qiraji, finally beginning to sob. They grew more profound quickly and the two other Sar'nexar let Sirexx deal with the situation.

* * *

The sun was finally begging to appear from the eastern horizon, its bright light finally ending the night of fear and grief. The first rays pushed their way through the canopy, lighting the small glade. Hours passed slowly and Ke'nir's situation staying unchanged. Sirexx sauntered around the scene, in deep fear about the possibility Ke'nir wouldn't recover from his injuries.

Yr'haxx and Kritass took this rare moment to rest after the last night's ordeals. Even if they hadn't known Ke'nir for as long as Sirexx, or weren't quite as concerned about his recovery as their fearful comrade, they dearly hoped for his awakening. Ke'nir's guidance and help had been invaluable during their journey and he had always been a trusted and helpful ally. Losing him would be additional unfortunate loss during this journey of misfortune and strife.

* * *

Ke'nir twitched uncomfortably in his sleep. The wound in his leg and the improvised bandages caused immense pain to the unconscious qiraji but his mind was too shady to register the woes of his injured body. The black Unseen's thoughts were back on his journeys and at the Prophet's Promise, once again living through his many adventures and the endless days in Tanaris, waiting for some glorious future which turned out to be something completely different. Once again he saw the lands only a few qiraji had heard about, the orange coasts and forests beyond the vast desert-plains of Kalimdor, sharing the journey with this dear, long-since passed comrades. Ke'nir smiled as he recalled his many evenings with them, talking about things beyond a qiraji's reach. Those were happy times but they wouldn't go on forever.

One by one Ke'nir witnessed his comrades' fall by the hands of tauren, centaurs and the elves. The elves were a mere nuisance back then, seldom seen be the few qiraji groups. The sight of his friends' still faces, their bodies impaled by the spears of savages, caused his blood to boil once again and his heart grow heavy. In the following years, he decided to leave his duties in the long-range squads.

This was a time of heavy expansion for the great Qiraji Empire. Small outposts were built everywhere in the southern lands, offering many opportunities for willing qiraji to prove their worth to the Creator. None of the qiraji had the privilege to stay still or spend an easy life but staying in Silithus was less dangerous and taxing as moving to the new settlements. The Prophet's Promise was one of the oldest of these outposts, its founding dating back four decades already. Ke'nir wished to relocate to a larger village and the Promise was far enough into the alien territory to still use his hard-earned tracking skills to his advantage.

Danoxx was the name of his new High Ambusher and the following mission were nothing compared to the treks of thousand kilometers in his previous group. Ke'nir quickly earned more wealth and fame than he had ever dreamt off and it seemed to be enough for two of his comrades. However, only Sirexx understood his desire for something more. The brown qiraji grew to be his closest comrade as he voiced his interest in knowing Kalimdor and the lands outside it better than the others, understanding their world in more ways than the prophets had told them ever since they were little else than newborn. Ke'nir couldn't help but smile as he remembered their enthusiasm in the findings of the old explorer who claimed to have found his way through the Great Sea to this new, strange land of Tel'Abim. Those days seemed so far way now… as if they had happened on a different lifetime. Little did he know back then that they would find out far more of the true face of the world than they ever suspected.

The sensation that grew in Ke'nir's dreams was one of deep nostalgia and growing uneasiness. He could have dwelled in these deeply treasured memories for an eternity but on the other hand, his recent memory slowly started to return into his mind. For the first time in what felt like a century, Ke'nir started to feel that things weren't as they were in the depths of his mind. That they were very wrong, in many ways that Ke'nir couldn't remember. Suddenly, a violent strike of pain hit his leg, the first sensation that broke his mind's silence.

Sirexx had sat down to a small rock, trying to calm himself down. The minutes went on slowly, agonizingly so while Sirexx only felt his fears grow ever deeper. He was startled deeply by a pain-filled scream that emanated from his left, from the spot that Ke'nir was lying.

The brown Unseen quickly turned his gaze to Ke'nir who had begun to twitch heavily, raving slightly. Sirexx quickly went to his side, trying to get his voice through to his injured friend.

"Don't move, Ke'nir! You're seriously injured and your life is still on the line! Do you hear me?" Sirexx spoke loudly and slowly, trying to make his message as clear as he could.

Ke'nir didn't have the least of ideas what was happening around him but he heard Sirexx's voice speak to him. What had happened?

"What's… wrong with my leg? Why does everything hurt?" Ke'nir mumbled intermittently, not yet able to see Sirexx due to the haze in his eyes.

"Ra'jol cut your whole leg open. You've lost a lot of hemolymph… that's why things seem a little a little wobbly… Can you remember anything?" Sirexx spoke in relief but still sad to see his old comrade in this situation. Ke'nir closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Soon he answered silently yet confidently.

"Yes… There was a fight, I was injured and Ra'jol…" Suddenly, Ke'nir's eyes flinched wide open and he tried to rise to a sitting position, a move that was immediately rejected by Sirexx.

"Don't. You're very weak. Ra'jol's dead, Ke'nir. We're in your debt for that." Sirexx said sadly, noting Ke'nir's darkening expression. So he had won and lived but was it worth Ra'jol's life?

"Where is he?" Ke'nir asked ominously.

"We found you by his side but we took his body there, to the edge of the woods." Sirexsx pointed to Ra'jol's direction, not sure whether Ke'nir could see it. The black Unseen turned into the direction, his eyes only seeing an unclear, large object lying still.

"So I did… as did you, apparently." Ke'nir's voice turned into a low, apologizing tone while it still carried a clearly questioning tone.

"We did. Danoxx and two gladiators escaped but all of the others are gone. We're free from the prophets' grasp. The way to Dustwallow is clear!" Sirexx spoke jubilantly, willing to lighten Ke'nir's spirits. However, Ke'nir's next question disappointed Sirexx lightly.

"What shall we do with Ra'jol?" Sirexx answered shortly.

"That depends on you. You killed him and was the last person to meet him. I was planning to bury him here, to honor his memory without gifting him to C'thun." Ke'nir looked at the deceased qiraji, unsure what he wanted. The pain in his leg was unending but on the hand, it was he who had initially stabbed him into his chest. Ra'jol hadn't done anything he wouldn't do.

"That's a good idea, Sirexx. He lived with honor, let us let him keep it."

* * *

The day was slowly turning to dusk when Ke'nir was finally strong enough to attend Ra'jol's funeral. The severely injured Unseen slowly found the strength to rise to a sitting position and which he eventually turned into a wobbly, yet still sustainable stand. Kritass and Yr'haxx were more than happy to see their guide and comrade recover his strength and be able to rejoin them. Ke'nir was still highly dizzy and still very weak but he had regained full consciousness and control of his body. Sirexx approached Ke'nir once again, willing to address him on a vital issue.

"We cannot prolong Ra'jol's funeral any further, Ke'nir. His body will soon begin to rot and then all of us are vulnerable diseases." Ke'nir looked at him for a moment, answering shortly.

"Very well. Let's do it. Ra'jol deserves to be laid to rest and Svr'ash some kind of remembrance…" Ke'nir rose from the rock he was sitting on, beginning to approach the pit the three other Sar'nexar had dug during the day. Everything was ready for the highly dreaded ceremony. Sirexx stood at Ra'jol's side, the corpse lying close to the pit that would be its final resting place. Yr'haxx and Kritass were far from convinced about Ra'jol's deeds but they still wished to pay their honors to the qiraji who their comrades were so bound on honoring.

"Ra'jol, forgive us for denying you the comfort of the Creator's mercy you would have willed to find in death. Believe us that we do what we feel is the best. Svr'ash, you are not with us anymore but thanks to you, we still live. I hope you will understand that you've written your name in the history of the last free qiraji group there ever will be… You have our eternal gratitude, both of you. We may not offer you the ordinary funeral but we won't have to. We are the Sar'nexar, the ones who are bound to remember our people's past and glory. According to our oldest legends, the heroes of our people are not bound by the location of their resting places, meaning you will still find your place among our forefathers, if not with the Creator. Kalimdor is our home, not He." Sirexx ended his speech in sad voice, clearly grieving his fallen comrade heavily.

All four of the Sa'rnexar then closed their eyes, paying their respects to the fallen Unseen. According to tradition, one's own thoughts were unnecessary to say out loud, any secret or important issue being fit to be only heard by the higher beings. Even now, the Sar'nexar were speaking in their minds to the ancient congregation of their race and to the world. It was the best they could believe in anymore.

One by one, the rebels reopened their eyes, to say that they had said what they had to say. Ke'nir was the last one to do so, due to his conflicted emotions concerning the deceased Unseen. Finally, he did so, his eyes meeting those of his comrades. It was time to put Ra'jol to rest. However, before that Ke'nir spoke last few, traditional words for a fallen comrade.

"We don't know whether you heard our respects, Ra'jol but know that you were a worthy comrade. Wherever you've gone, you're not alone. We will follow you in time on this one, final journey. You've made your people proud." After the final words, Sirexx and Ke'nir raised Ra'jol body and threw it into his grave. Both of the qiraji were without an expression, their faces frozen masks of sorrow.

Kritass and Yr'haxx joined their comrades in filling the grave, willing to help the to try to deal with horrifying situation. There was nothing more to say: everything that was on their hearts had been spoken and only an endless amount of time could heal the scars of that day's memory.

Ke'nir snatched another pile of earth for the tomb when a new, disturbing sensation flowed through his body. It was a wave of cold, a sensation he had only felt while in the highest parts of the mountains northwest of the endless plains called the Barrens. It was a disturbing, unusual feeling which momentarily stopped his movement. The pain in his leg had only grown sharper by the day, now emanating its way into the Unseen's torso. Before he had only dismissed it as a consequence of his clearing mind. Now, however, he begun to doubt that. It wasn't the only symptom anymore as it was accompanied by the new sensation and never-ending fatigue.

The unseen quickly resumed his duty, his thoughts still fixated on Ra'jol's passing. However, a new haunting, gnawing feeling that the curses of his wounds weren't over yet. Something had happened after he had received the wound, unknowing whether it was serious or not. For now, at least, he would take joy in the fact that he had awoken from the grisly sleep, unlike his less fortunate friend. The new sensations couldn't be dangerous anyway…

* * *

 **Ke'nir has survived the fateful duel and the Sar'nexar have fended of the dire threat. Yet, the way to Dustwallow Marsh is far from safe. Will Ke'nir's symptons prove to be serious? Will the rebels find their sanctuary? This chapter came quite fast but now I'll tend to a side project of mine. It should be completed in a week but I cannot say when the new chapter is up. In any case, have a great time and take care until then!**


	37. The Silent Decline

**The Silent Decline**

Sirexx sighed heavily at the sight that greeted his eyes. First of the countless mesas that characterized the valley of Thousand Needles were appearing from the horizon, spelling the end of their trek through the elven woods. Something about the way of things seemed surreal: on one hand, he had never even dreamt of seeing these mesas again, considering him being alive was enough to be seen as a miracle. Even if it was, however, Sirexx found it hard to actually bask in the moment. Something didn't seem right though: the enormous loss of life had left him quite somber and even worse, something seemed to bother Ke'nir. The qiraji could feel a dry, almost burning desert wind touching his face as he turned to face the other three qiraji walking closely behind him.

"We must stop here. The tauren will see us if we move here in daylight." Sirexx's voice carried a somewhat dismissive tone, as if the announcement carried nothing new. Yr'haxx was the first one to answer as he took a glance at the distant mountain.

"That's probably for the best. There's no sense in risking ourselves now. We're in no hurry anymore, after all." It was true that the journey had been much more peaceful since the day of Svr'ash's death. The constant threat of sudden death was washed away by the chasers' defeat, enabling a slower and safer way for the last four of the Sar'nexar.

Kritass answered dryly as Ke'nir started to tremble on his feet, apparently because of uncomfortable footing. Sirexx looked at him in concern but said nothing. For now, it would be best to follow if the leg would heal itself.

"In that case we have to reach the Barrens by morning. We cannot risk the chance of being seen in the morning." Reaching the tiny passes up from the steep valley during one night would be a but there was no other chance. Trying to bypass the valley would probably contain even more dangerous ordeal's, from the elves and the centaurs alike. Ke'nir's head jumped upward from his comrade's proposition. This gesture was very apparent but Ke'nir quickly turned his gaze away. This time even Kritass looked at Ke'nir in an asking manner but the black Unseen answered briefly and apparently in a hurry.

"We should find a place to hide until the evening. We don't want to be seen until the evening." Ke'nir's voice seemed normal but unusually blunt for the short Unseen. None of the others could question Ke'nir's logic as the taurens patrolled the Needles heavily. Getting ambushed before the night was hardly a way to reach their long-searched sanctuary.

* * *

The desert valley contained many caves which were ideal short stops but they were usually small and hard to find. In any case, it was only a few hours before the sun would set beneath the Western waves of the Great Sea. The qiraji searched for a while for a short-term shelter and soon, Kritass found a small groove in the imposing stone wall bordering the narrow valley. The groove was little more than a small hole in the stone wall but it provided enough shelter from unwanted attention. Moreover, it was enough to block the burning afternoon rays of the desert sun. All in all, it had to suffice for the four Sar'nexar, at least until the evening.

"It's much hotter here than anywhere I've been to before! The tauren must be crazy to live here!" Yr'haxx bemoaned as he entered the small groove. The walls of the Thousand Needles indeed provided a barrier against any kind of wind or movement of air. In other words, valley was a real hell in terms of temperature. Sirexx had to agree with the statement but he didn't answer. Instead, he took a look out to see the position of the sun. He was slightly relieved by his observation.

"It's only two or three hours until the sun sets. We won't have to tarry here for too long." Sirexx's calm voice brought relief to his companions, providing them hope of reaching the Barrens shortly. There was only one qiraji who couldn't cheer at the position they found themselves in.

Ke'nir cringed deeply inside. It wasn't like he wasn't happy for the miraculous escape and the prospect of a new home but there was one detail that filled him with fear. His leg hadn't healed, in fact Ke'nir could swear the pain got only worse and worse. Even more unsettling, even though the bleeding had stopped, was the severe suppuration in his leg. The "bandages" that had been used to stop the bleeding were growing more and more sticky and Ke'nir knew they were no longer holding blood; rather they mostly contained orange, ill moist caused by the unhealed wound.

"So, are we going to just sit here and do nothing?" Yr'haxx asked in a happy voice. His voice was nearly normal and free of stress after the Sar'nexar had shaken off the remaining chasers. Despite the uncertainties, for the first time in weeks he felt like there was hope off living to see his older days. Sirexx looked at him curiously, asking him the obvious question.

"What do you mean? It's not like there's too much to do here." Yr'haxx answered quickly to his comrade's question, surprising the gladiator sitting on his left side.

"How about Kritass tells how the gladiators spend their spare time?" Yr'haxx knew it was rather unfair to pass the ball to his maimed comrade but he wanted Kritass to finally partake in their group. He had good enough reasons for being fearful but it seemed to the unseen as if he's been less desperate during the last days. Perhaps this was the time to try to make him leave his shell? Kritass was startled by the proposition and his answer wasn't too sophisticated.

"Wh… where did that come from?" The gladiator stuttered. Despite letting Sirexx know about his face, he still wasn't ready to join his comrades in their lighthearted chatter between the treks.

"Sorry I'm being blunt but It's due time, Kritass. If we're going to try to survive in the Marsh together, we must be able to work together. In addition, I have no idea how gladiators spend their time. The way I've seen it, Me'lesh isn't too popular among you." Yr'haxx answered in a slightly hesitating but neutral voice. Kritass' initial surprise seemed to have dissipated somewhat and he answered in a highly unsure voice.

"Some of us do, or at least used to, play Me'lesh but I was never too interested in it. There's too much luck in it. Another, more popular way among us to spend time is another game called Sh'xesh." Kritass took a brief pause to which Sirexx decided to comment Kritass' explanation.

"I've heard of it even though it never made headway in Promise. From what I've heard, it's quite difficult?" Not all of the games spread to every part of the Qiraji Empire as Sirexx had learned to his chagrin. They were played everywhere because of gambling but the games variated heavily. However, most of the qiraji had heard of many different games, especially if they held any interest in gambling. In Sirexx's case this wasn't the problem. Kritass continued shortly.

"You could say so… It's played on a rather large board where there are twelve rows of squares in both directions, with twenty pieces moving diagonally which are used to kill the opponent's pieces. There is one piece that must be killed in order to win the game." Yr'haxx's expression was slightly interested as he answered.

"It sounds rather simple… What are the chances of it ending in a draw?" The Unseen spoke in a curious voice. This could a way to spend the rest of the day.

"Rather good, especially if you don't what you're doing. In any case, I've lost two years' worth of ishns for this cursed game!" Kritass tried to smile at the memories but it proved difficult. He couldn't help it but the image of his face dominated his mind all the time. He didn't even know when or how he would ever accept it but for now, he had something to slightly drive his thoughts away from his despicable reality.

"Sounds good… That's only half of what I've managed to lose! Let's get started!" Yr'haxx said as he rose from the rock he was sitting on. Kritass looked at him in confusion.

"I'm sorry to let you down but do you honestly think I have a board with me?" Yr'haxx answered quickly as he bowed down to a crouching position.

"Who needs that? The game sounds simple enough to play on the ground!" Ke'nir was the next one to speak, in an effort to cheer himself up from his own fears.

"Indeed! It requires only some lines in the sand and stones. Show us how to play, Kritass!"

It took a few minutes as the gladiator tried to come up with an acceptable-looking "board". There were enough stones in the groove but trying to make a working board in the sand was a challenge. The surrounding walls limited the size of the rows of squares and only on third try did they succeed in the task. Kritass sat down with Yr'haxx to demonstrate the game to the Unseen. The demonstration didn't last too long as Yr'haxx was completely crushed by Kritass' knowledge of the game. As the early evening progressed, however, the three Unseen slowly started to grasp the basics of the game. They hardly noticed the passage of time as the sun was slowly starting to touch the horizon in Feralas' direction. Ke'nir was the first one to notice the approaching nightfall.

"We should move on soon. The visibility from the mesas is starting to fade." Ke'nir's voice was loud enough to grasp the attention of his comrades. All of them quickly realized that Ke'nir was right. The black Unseen was happy to realize that it was time to move on: he had won enough games already to feel content with the day.

"You're right, Ke'nir… The sun sets soon." Yr'haxx muttered in slight chagrin as he rose up from the ground. His games had gone badly and he couldn't say he was sad to move on. Sirexx observed the darkening night as his comrades were slowly starting to prepare for the nightly trek. With luck, they would be in Dustwallow Marsh in two days.

"We should start to look for the pathways leading to the Barrens after about seven or eight hours. Are you up to the journey?" Sirexx didn't expect any objections and he received none. In a few minutes, all three of his comrades stood ready to embark on their last truly risky leg before their destination. Everyone knew the dangers of the narrow desert valley so there was no reason to tell his comrades about those. Luckily, Sirexx knew he could trust their abilities to stay hidden. The wind was rising slowly as the quartet left their resting place. After only a few minutes of running towards the first mesas, Sirexx hear a thud behind him. The sight that met him stunned the Unseen shortly.

"Ke'nir? What is it?" Kritass asked him as he crouched to his comrade's side. The Unseen rose slowly with a pained expression on his face. He spoke in a slow voice as the three others gathered around him to check his condition.

"It's nothing. Let's continue…" Sirexx stopped his friend's efforts to continue with a firm look.

"I can see that you didn't stumble on anything. It's your leg isn't it?" Sirexx took a short pause as Ke'nir's expression darkened at the mention of his leg. He said nothing but his face told everything Sirexx needed to know. The brown Unseen looked at the others and answered shortly.

"We cannot risk you slowing us down on this trek, Ke'nir. We must be certain of your capability of completing today's journey in time. We cannot continue before your leg has healed." The black Unseen's face fell noticeably, clearly disgusted by the current state of affairs.

"Sirexx, we cannot turn back! We must reach the Barrens!" Ke'nir's voice dipped with anger and frustration. He knew Sirexx was right about his leg but there was one thing the brown Unseen didn't know. Ke'nir had a terrible feeling his leg wouldn't get any better until the next evening.

"You cannot even reach the first mesas with that leg, Ke'nir! You _cannot_ continue! We won't leave you behind, either. Now, get back to the groove!" Sirexx felt sickened by the need to command his friend like this but there was no choice at this time. If the foolish Unseen didn't understand his best, he would have to be forced to accept it.

Ke'nir wished to continue the argument but the expression from all three of his comrades proved that he had lost. Why did they have to make his already bleak situation even worse? With a heavy sigh, Ke'nir waived his chela and turned on his heels. It seemed like there was no chance to make the others see sense. Sirexx took a worried look at the others who returned the expression. There was something seriously wrong with their comrade.

* * *

 _Why did this have to happen? Why cannot they leave me in peace?_

Questions like these circulated in Ke'nir's mind as he contemplated his situation. He couldn't blame Sirexx for his command but he didn't know what he was talking about. Even Ke'nir himself didn't want to acknowledge his situation. In addition to the pain in his leg, he was feeling… cold. Not the usual feeling of chill but the one that was familiar to him in an unsettling way. It was the feeling of deep, sick injury but it would usually pass in a day. This one had followed him since his confrontation with Ra'jol and he was beginning to fear for the first.

"Ke'nir? What is going on?" Sirexx asked after Kritass and Yr'haxx had fallen asleep. He could still see Ke'nir staying awake due to his open eyes and heavy breathing. Ke'nir took another sigh as he heard his friend's voice talk to him. In a way, he was grateful for his concern but on the other hand, what could he say to Sirexx? Sirexx wouldn't probably accept his explanations about the depth of his injury. Not after all their other friends were gone and most of their comrades fallen before the prophets' onslaught. Sirexx would do his all in his might to try to save his old friend's life.

"As I said, it was a momentary stroke of pain. I could have continued on." Ke'nir knew his words weren't true but it was a better option than to just announce that he wouldn't be able to complete the trip even in the future. It was better to let Sirexx's hopes stay alive, even if only to help the brown Unseen to cope with the situation. Ke'nir could immediately see Sirexx wasn't buying his explanation.

"You are trying to fool yourself more than me, Ke'nir, and you know that. Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Sirexx's words brought a surge of anger flowing through Ke'nir. How could his friend be arrogant enough to ask him such an absurd question? It was time to let Sirexx know the truth.

"Look Sirexx, I'm sure you already know the truth! My injury isn't going to heal and I'm slowing all of you down! Whether you and the others go on now or tomorrow doesn't matter. Ra'jol's hit sealed my fate or rather, its aftermath. The wound is gravely infected and it will only doom me to slow death!" Ke'nir's voice was bitter and regretful and his face communicated deep, hopeless fear. Sirexx was speechless at his friend's words. Only in his worst fears had he contemplated such a dreadful scenario and now his friend put that possibility straight to his face. Only after a short while did he manage to stutter an answer. Perhaps there was still a chance Ke'nir's guess was wrong. Maybe the Unseen was still in shock…

"We won't be leaving you behind, Ke'nir. Wounds of such ferocity are very rare and even then, some of them may heal. You'll be…" Sirexx's words were cut off by Ke'nir's agitated response which seethed with finality and thinly-veiled disgust at the situation.

"Damn it, Sirexx! I've seen dozens of my comrades die and I know the symptoms! You don't have to tell me if I'm going to die or not! I'm sorry but there's nothing any of us can do. I know you will never accept it but it would really be best if you left me here." Ke'nir slightly calmed down at the last sentence. There was no need to make the matters worse by starting a possibly escalating argument with his closest friend. It would be better to spare him from any additional pain at his comrade's condition. Sirexx looked at the black Unseen gravely and there was only one thing Sirexx could say after the shocking conversation.

"Let's wait until tomorrow, Ke'nir. Maybe something will change before then." Sirexx waited for an answer but Ke'nir's sick, saddened face told him everything he needed to know. Ke'nir thoroughly believed his own words and he clearly dreaded the coming day. Sirexx felt empty as he returned to his sleeping spot. This night would be one of the hardest ones he had ever spent, with the possibility of losing the last of his old haunting his thoughts for hours to come.

* * *

The morning dawned with an unusually cold weather for Thousand Needles, with thick clouds gathering in the cold sky. Kritass was the first one to awaken, quickly disappointed to remember that they were still in the desert valley, quickly remembering the unfortunate events that had happened last evening. His gaze quickly moved towards Ke'nir, who was sleeping a dozen meters from him, leaning at the wall of stone behind him.

Kritass couldn't help but wonder what was really going on with the black Unseen. It was clear that his condition was serious but the gladiator didn't have the least of ideas whether it was going to be fatal. Maybe Ke'nir would wake up feeling better and all four of them would be in the Barrens in the next morning. Maybe not. In any case, Kritass couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about his actions. After Svr'ash's passing, at the very latest, he understood that he was lucky to be alive, no matter seriously maimed. He most likely wouldn't live to see his old days but at least he was still here, unlike poor Alt'hesh and the others. Hopefully Ke'nir wouldn't join them soon. Whatever happened, the nightly trek would be taken today. There wouldn't be any reason to delay it for longer as Ke'nir's fate would be clear at that time.

Kritass smiled as he watched the rays of sun flow through the fields in front of him, turning the dark brown sand into something bordering golden and yellow. No matter what was to come, at least for today, they would still be together.

The agony of his growing infections hit Ke'nir immensely hard as he woke up from his uneasy sleep. He would have wished to escape the reality back to his sleep but he knew he had to make the day as easy to the others as he could.

 _The others deserve better than my hearing my woes for the day. It is going to happen in the night but for today I must act like everything was okay…_

Ke'nir chuckled mockingly as he realized the absurdity of thinking of how to let his life end with the least agony for himself and the others. But it couldn't be helped: taking his own life would bring far too much guilt and pain to his comrades. Soon, the torture would end but until then, he had to act like everything were well again.

"Hey, Ke'nir! You seem to be awake." Kritass approached the Unseen, his expression communicating concern and cordiality. He wished to see whether Ke'nir had spoken the truth or whether his condition was more serious than he knew.

"I am… Why?" Ke'nir was still sleepy and he wasn't too happy by Kritass' approach. What would he probably want after the last evening's unfortunate ending? Kritass answered shortly, willing to observe Ke'nir's reaction to his words.

"We have to eat something before we try the trip to the Barrens. I'm sure Sirexx and Yr'haxx would appreciate it if we found something for them." Kritass felt slight concern at Ke'nir's initial hesitation but was surprised when Ke'nir answered. He was much more confident than Kritass had expected.

"There's a lot of wildlife here as well as some fruits closer to Feralas. We should be back within an hour." Ke'nir spoke matter-of-factly and even though he dreaded the coming ordeal, he hoped it would be easy enough to complete even in his condition.

Kritass looked at his comrade in a suspicious way. He didn't believe Ke'nir's words but it seemed like the Unseen was too proud to admit his handicaps. Moreover, Ke'nir had no way to lie about his condition when he would have to join the march to the Barrens.

The next hour was a painful one for Ke'nir. Every step he took brought shivers of pain upon his whole body, the rising fever only adding to his misery. As he had contemplated earlier, killing an unsuspecting hyena or gathering fruits was far from challenging and the greatest challenge was to try to keep his face as nor mal as possible in order to keep Kritass ignorant of his internal agony. After what felt like days on end, he finally said quietly to Kritass.

"This is enough. We won't be able to get more with us." The black Unseen said at Kritass who returned the gaze shortly.

"You're right, Ke'nir. A hyena and twenty peaches are going to do for today." Kritass affirmed with a neutral voice. Ke'nir answered in a forcefully happy voice.

"They better appreciate this gesture. As if we don't have better things to do on mornings than to hunt skinny hyenas!" Kritass almost chuckled as he answered. Had the situation been less grim, it would have brought great joy to Ke'nir to finally see Kritass on this good mood but taking joy at his current situation was hard for the wounded Unseen.

"Well, we don't have, really. I could have slept longer, though."

Sirexx was worried at first to see Ke'nir and Kritass missing as he woke from his fearful sleep. Hours of nightmares did little to appease his fears of Ke'nir's absence. However, the fact that Kritass was missing too brought him slight relief as the gladiator was most likely with Ke'nir, wherever they were. Yr'haxx woke up last, not unusually as he was the heaviest sleeper of the four surviving rebels. Sirexx was happy to see him awake but the atmosphere remained tense until he saw two familiar figures approaching from the horizon. Sirexx was delighted to see what the duo had been up to; breakfast was welcome after days of running. However, Ke'nir apparent sudden recovery surprised Sirexx greatly as it had been only one night when Ke'nir had proclaimed himself practically dead. The change was profound but Sirexx couldn't say he was disappointed by the change. Maybe everything would go well in the end.

* * *

On one hand, Ke'nir was happy that he had managed to survive the morning and that he had bought his comrades at least some peace of mind. However, he was simultaneously terrified by the coming night. The earlier food gathering had almost broken him and there was no way he would ever be able to reach the Barrens. In addition, his condition would only continue to deteriorate as the day progressed, making it harder and harder for him to hide his weakness and growing sick shudders.

The sun set not a moment too soon for Ke'nir. The sight the sun vanishing behind the mountains filled him with sadness as he knew this would most likely be the last he would ever see. There was no plausible scenario he could think of where he would survive until the morning. The concern and anxiety among his comrades hadn't vanished but none of them seemed to question tonight's plan. Sirexx came to Ke'nir's side, asking him a simple but important question.

"Are you ready for the trek, Ke'nir? There's no turning back after we reach the first mesas." Sirexx's face was filled with fear and the question stunned Ke'nir completely. He couldn't honestly say if he was ready to face his fate, whatever it was but there was no turning back now. He tried to put as confident expression he could and answered with a silent yet firm voice.

"I've done this trip many times before. As for what I said yesterday… I exaggerated. I still feel rather weak but I'm ready to do this." Ke'nir didn't want to lie to his old friend but another day waiting for a miracle that would never come would serve no one's interests. For better or worse, it would be better to try now and see what would happen. Sirexx nodded anxiously as he answered shortly.

"Very well, Ke'nir. I trust your judgement. Do your best and we'll be in the Barrens in no time." Sirexx then turned around to speak to Yr'haxx and Kritass. He told them the situation shortly but firmly. A day of chatting about Sh'xesh had made all of them yearning for some action and all of them yearned to complete their journey.

"Ke'nir's ready. For the next eight hours, head towards the east by the stone wall. We will spread out slightly in order to make our detection more unlikely. All of us know where the passes to the Barrens are. We'll meet there. Any questions?" The silence that met the brown Unseen told him everything he need to know. The trek was long but quite safe aside from rare tauren patrols. Ke'nir was the only question mark here. The Sar'nexar had gone through much together and they had hoped Svr'ash to be their last casualty. Sirexx was still determined to keep things so but would he be able to complete the task? Ke'nir's condition seemed to be improving but somehow Sirexx still felt shivers up his spine as he contemplated the events of the next hours…

* * *

 **Phew, I managed to keep my promise with the schedule! Ke'nir's condition doesn't seem to be getting better but what is going to happen once they try to cross the Thousand Needles? For now there's little to worry but any worsening in Ke'nir's condition could make things ugly... In any case, I apologize for the large gap since the last chapter but I hope you enjoyed this installment. I hope I can keep the same pace for the next chapter. Until then, take care! :)**

 **Ocu:** Thank you very much for your review! I'm happy to see that you find the way I've portrayed the world successful. It was a challenge trying to reconcile the way the qiraji were portrayed in the game and the image of a thriving empire together and I really appreciate your feedback! Also, it's nice to know that you've found the characters feeling interesting. For now, I'll just say that the next chapter will get pretty intense.


	38. Eve of the Fire Festival

**Eve of the Fire Festival**

Yr'haxx gritted his jaws as he watched the huge mesa rise up to his right. The shimmer of the tauren bonfires lighted the dark sky above the mountain, turning the vast shadows dancing around it into complete blackness. This, however, brought a distinct sense of relief for the Unseen. As long as the tauren were preoccupied with their celebrations, they were more unlikely to notice the passing group of uninvited guests. Even though the Sar'nexar had little will to harm them, the tauren would be unlikely to ever listen to their story. The only good qiraji was a dead qiraji, no doubt.

Even then, it was unlikely that the rebels would ever be surprised by the rather slow and clumsy tauren. Only a fool would underestimate the threat but the day a qiraji was outsmarted by a walking bull would be a sad one. Yr'haxx watched his comrades running dozens of meters in front of him. Even Ke'nir seemed to be running rather easily. The journey was only beginning but for now, Yr'haxx was happy to see that he might see the Barrens tonight.

* * *

Ke'nir's breathing was uneasy and his agony could be heard from his forced sighs. His leg was stronger than it had been the last night but his overall condition was clearly weaker. He felt extremely sick and weak even if his movements hadn't been affected yet. Ke'nir waited with dread how far he might get in his condition: even though he understood his waning strength, he still had some stamina left. He wouldn't go down without a fight.

The lights from the tauren settlements seemed to grow in strength as the minutes passed. Not only did the bonfires grow larger but some strong voices of elation could be heard from atop the massive mountains. Ke'nir knew that the tauren seldom spent "normal" nights, many of their days and nights were dedicated to different rituals for the Earthmother and Skyfather. The black Unseen knew little about them but it was growing increasingly clear that one of the many celebrations was going on now. Which one of them, Ke'nir couldn't say.

* * *

Sirexx had also noted the dancing flames. He had always been enthusiastic about the other peoples' traditions and even though he often found them somewhat primitive, he always wished to learn more of them. If nothing else, they had strengthened his resolve to serve Ahn'Qiraj. Now, though, he didn't know what to think about them. Even if the Creator had turned out be something different than he had suspected, it proved little about the tauren beliefs. For better or worse, Sirexx's times of trying to prove any truth to himself or the others were over. The tauren beliefs might prove to be interesting insight to their culture but nothing more. For all he knew, the tauren deities belonged to the same group as N'zoth and C'thun.

Sirexx's thoughts were quickly disturbed by a sudden wave of hand from Ke'nir. He had clearly seen something that the others should know about. He quickly crouched and moved behind the nearest rock and begun to investigate his surroundings. The night and its blackness hindered his sight at first but soon he saw something that was mostly likely what Ke'nir had meant. Around then taurens moved towards the them, right at the westernmost mesa of the desert valley. They had great torches with them, their lights illuminating the surroundings but nothing else stood out from them. One of the usual patrols, most likely.

Sirexx stayed still for minutes and heard the taurens' voices slowly growing stronger. His heartbeat grew faster even though he knew he wasn't in a major danger. The tauren were too far away to be able to spot an Unseen who knew about their presence. Their banter slowly started to fade into the night's many voices as they passed the rock Sirexx was hiding behind. Sirexx reveled in the sensation as the cool night wind embraced him as the qiraji rose and gave the signal that the danger had passed. It was time to move on and hope that the group they had seen were the last tauren they would see tonight.

* * *

Sirexx's hopes were misplaced, however. As the valley grew narrower, the mesas started to dominate the landscape even more. The dancing flames on the peaks seemed to embrace each other, forming a continuous field of light in the air. At times it seemed like the mountains themselves were candles, driving the summer night away.

Yr'haxx was starting to feel real concern about their trek. The insufferable light and the rather common groups of tauren were really starting to make him worry about their ability to stay hidden. Even if they were oblivious to the presence of the Sar'nexar, a great amount of them increased the chance of them being caught, no matter how careful they would be. He could see a similar sentiment among his comrades: their movements were more reserved and careful. They stopped more often to observe their surroundings to ensure there was no danger lurking around them. Even one mistake could prove to be fatal. if even one of them was seen, the tauren would be alerted across the valley and it would prove to be difficult to try to avoid them for the many kilometres that still loomed before them. The quartet was slowly starting to move further apart in order to increase their common line of sight and to provide each of them a better chance to hide in case something went wrong.

Kritass, too, was worried but his reason was different from the others'. As many times before, he had to try to be as subtle as the Unseen hut he was never trained for hiding. The fact that the others held a significant edge over him brought some jealousy upon him but he had managed to keep up with his comrades thus far. He would continue to do so as he had for so many times before.

Ke'nir tried to remember their exact position. The dark hills around him seemed similar wherever he looked and finding some, any distinct features in them was proving to be a challenge. No passes, no valleys opened in the endless chain of stone that marked the northern border of the Thousand Needles… until a noticeable hill flowed downwards from the main range. Ke'nir would have smiled if his condition weren't so grave: even now he felt a sense of relief when he knew exactly where they were. He had to relay his experience to the others as long as he was able. He waved his left hand to say that he had something to tell. It didn't take long for the quartet to gather once again. The black Unseen got straight into the point.

"We've covered apparently one quarter of the journey. I know that out-stretching hill. However, this problem of ours is isn't going away…" Ke'nir's voice was growing weak but he still managed to make his point. Yr'haxx was the first to answer and he spoke in a frustrated voice.

"Damned luck that this had to be the day of some barbaric rituals! This valley is full of patrols!" Sirexx looked at him approvingly and told what he knew.

"The tauren have many days of jubilation around the year. I read it in a book long while ago but I have no idea what is the reason for today's celebrations. Not that it helps but we aren't that unlucky, really." Yr'haxx returned Sirexx's glance and sighed slightly. The journey had to be continued quickly in order to escape the dangerous narrow passage the Thousand Needles formed in Southern Kalimdor.

Minutes slow turned into hours as the hour of midnight slowly passed by. A rather powerful wind rose as the cold times of the nights begun to take hold in the desert landscape. The fires continued to burn throughout the valley as Ke'nir's breath started to croak ever more heavily. His lungs felt like they were burning and his breathing turned more forced by the minute. His legs took one step at the time firmly even if with a great effort. He would continue the march to his last breath, for whatever that assessment was worth. The group was nearing halfway and he was still standing. The sick qiraji surprised even himself as he contemplated his severe condition. He had no idea which step would be his last.

* * *

"The Sandhowls have been behaving aggressively lately, Tahesha. Is it certainly a good idea to visit them?" A grey large male tauren asked her female counterpart, a just as long light brown tauren. She shrugged in an indifferent voice.

"Well, who wouldn't be? This war is keeping all of us on our toes and it's understandable for them to defend themselves. The Midsummer is in two days and it's time for the traditional visits, no matter what is happening. You know that, Koln." The male knew this but even then, the war against the qiraji had formed deep fissures and bonds between the tauren tribes. Usually all of the tribes, with the exception of Grimtotem tribe, lived in a silent coexistence marred by petty raids and relative isolation but the qiraji threat had united them. They were all allies but the war effort had also created tensions between the diverse group of tribes.

"I just truly hope they remember the pact of the Fire Festival. It has long been a time of peace but I wouldn't be surprised if they simply forgot it. The Sandhowls have always been rude and isolative…" The female answered in a bored voice as the duo neared their destination. The Sandhowl mesa rose in front of them, one of the largest mesas in the northern range of mesas straddling the border with the Barrens.

"It's just one ritual, Koln. We'll be able to live within an hour." The tauren had a tradition of a member of neighboring tribe joining the other's wait of Midsummer's day by bringing a torch blessed by the guest tribe's most prestigious shamans and dancing as demanded by the host tribe's customs. This signaled a rare time of peace and harmony while honoring the Earthmother among all of the usually divided family of tauren tribes.

"State your business, strangers!" A grim looking guard asked the two taurens while they approached the main elevator of the Sandhowl mesa. He and two other guards started to approach the duo with hostile looks on their faces. Koln begun to speak in a firm and confident voice.

"We are the representatives of the Freewind tribe. We are here to join you in the expectation of the precious Midsummer night should you decide to honor our ancient ways." The guard took an agitated look and answered in a disappointed voice.

"That meaningless festival is getting on my nerves. For the last two days members of each pitiful tribe demand to enter our village because of some stupid party! Give me your weapons or leave!" Koln and Tahesha complied quickly. Even if the initial reaction had been far from welcoming, they had at least been granted an access to the Sandhowl village. And it had happened more easily than they had expected. Maybe the war hadn't ruined everything.

"Hmph! Get on the elevator and don't try anything funny! Just do your job and leave!" As the two tauren nodded, the guard pulled the lever and the elevator begun to twitch upwards. The sandhowl mesa was higher than most and the tauren had an opportunity to get a god look at valley surrounding them. The many fires of Midsummer lighted the floor of the land, turning the night's darkness into a precious twilight. However, none of the tauren could feel completely happy or safe anymore. Ever since the devastating elf defeat in that cursed land of Silithus, terrifying news that the qiraji had overrun parts of Tanaris and were heading towards the north left none of the tauren, except perhaps for the traitor Grimtotem tribe, feel safe. In the worst case scenario, they would have to defend their valley together before the summer was over.

When the elevator stopped with a jolt, Koln and Tahesha quickly turned their attention to the vibrant jubilation and burning pyres. Even if the war would move to the Thousand Needles, now would be the time for joy. Whatever happened later was in the hands of fate which would be unlikely be helped by forgetting to honor the few deities the tauren could see in their barren homeland.

* * *

Yr'haxx grinned as he saw another order to stop, this time from Sirexx. After a moment of scanning his surroundings, he could see a large pack of hyenas in the distance. He realized immediately what Sirexx meant by his signal. A group of animals were wouldn't be a threat to them but they could be able to alert the tauren if they would force the qiraji to engage them in battle. It would be a good idea to wait until they went further before resuming the journey. The night was at its zenith, two hours had passed since midnight but the sunrise was still far away.

Sirexx shuddered as another gust of the cold wind embraced him. The weather was turning colder than usual for this time of the year and particularly cold considering the usual burning heat that characterized the desert valley. The chill was slowly starting to crawl under his chitin, making the Unseen's waiting very uncomfortable. After a few more gusts of wind, he could see the hyenas disappear into the southern horizon. With a distinct smile on his face he waived the others to resume the trek. The danger had passed, for now.

* * *

Tahesha was happy to see that the Sandhowl tribe hadn't abandoned their ways despite the dangerous situation they were in. The shamans were spreading their mystical dust in the air, asking the winds about the omens of the late summer. The chieftain and his family were leading the ceremony, standing next to the giant pyre in the middle of the village. Around him were the members of the tribe singing and dancing to the tune of age-old hymns honoring the twin deities' work in making this most sacred of events happen. The summer was high and the dangers of winter far away.

Koln would have wanted to stay longer but he had heard the guard's words. They were not wanted here and they were granted the passage only to complete their job. Luckily the inner circles of shaman were more homogenous than the average members of the tribes. Each of the shaman possessed the same basic knowledge and even if each tribe possessed their own special abilities, they had the same insight of their arts.

"High Shaman Haeshe, please allow us, the representatives of the Freewind tribe, grant you our blessings concerning the next cycle of the Sun, as you have done to us since generations immemorial." Tahesha offered in the traditional greeting on the High Shaman who was among the tauren communicating with the whispering winds. He turned around slowly, with a much more conciliatory expression than the other tribe members. He answered in an almost friendly voice.

"We have been expecting you. The winds told of your arrival long ago. The Sandhowl thank you for this gesture." Haeshe said as he suddenly glanced to a great crack in the pyre. Koln continued to speak in the traditional way, trying to keep the visit as professional and swift as possible. He also wished to know if there was anything he should know about the enemy of summer and the true reason why Midsummer was the highlight and end of the tauren year.

"If there is any way to help your tribe survive the coming year, we will grant our help. How are things developing with Ahune?" The lord of frost was a constant threat this time of the year, the being's will to turn the entire world to frost reaching their peak in the middle of the summer. In a way, the Midsummer Fire Festival was a cover to the shamans' never-ending attempts to held the frost lord at bay. To Koln's horror, Haeshe's eyes took a concerned look to them.

"Actually, the cursed frost monster has been growing more active lately. I don't know why but it seems to be growing in strength… but most alarmingly, it feels like the barrier holding it in its cursed realm in weakening…" Koln answered quickly, clearly alarmed by the news.

"Is the situation critical? Should we begin to rally the shamans of every tribe?" Haeshe's face was unreadable but his voice wasn't as concerned as Koln thought it would be.

"No. Ahune is still firmly locked in the realm of the elements but somehow I feel like its strength is connected to our war. If we lose the war, however, I'm afraid our situation will be dire. But that is not why you're here, not at this point anyway." Haeshe said in an amused way. Tahesha answered to his statement, willing to leave the Sandhowl mesa as soon as she could.

"How are we able to help you prepare for the Midsummer night, High Shaman?" Haeshe smiled as he answered to the Freewind shaman. The words were swallowed by the giant bonfire behind them, embracing the mesa with its warm light.

* * *

Sirexx could see Ke'nir's breath turn into more and more forced wheeze. He was rather happy with their progress, reaching the halfway slightly ahead of schedule. No matter Ke'nir's condition, all of them deserved a rest. Sirexx raised both of his chelae, calling the others to him. it took mere moments until all four had gathered around him, willing to hear what the brown Unseen had to say. It didn't take a lot of conversation for the Sar'nexar to accept Sirexx's request. Each of them moved to lean towards the rock wall, trying to catch their breaths as they tried to catch their breaths before the final leg of the journey. Yr'haxx was the first one to break the silence, panting heavily as he spoke. His voice was careful as he tried to see whether Ke'nir was willing to answer.

"Ke'nir… If I remember correct, you knew Alt'hesh for a long time." Ke'nir merely nodded, not sure why Kritass would bring this up in a time like this.

"I was just wondering, Alt'hesh had a rather high position in Ahn'Qiraj. We others aren't in any way high-ranked. My High Ambusher, Ta'resh and Danoxx didn't seem to care much about our cause." Ke'nir took a curious if odd look. Where was Yr'haxx getting at?

"The way I understood it, they found the safety of their lives preferable to the risk of rebellion, even if it saved their lives. How was Alt'hesh different from the others? Why was he willing to take a step our leaders didn't?" Ke'nir was still puzzled by Yr'haxx's antics but he still answered to the best of his ability.

"Well, I've known Alt'hesh for decades. We worked together for a long time and we managed to build a mutual trust. When Alt'hesh became a High Ambusher, he still regarded me as a friend, not as a subordinate." Ke'nir smiled as he delved into the common memories with his deceased friend. So much had happened: it already felt like years since he'd last since Alt'hesh while I reality it had only been a week. Sirexx took a look at Ke'nir, asking a rather obvious question.

"Neither did Danoxx but he was still prepared to come after us. He never seemed to truly believe the prophets but still he served them." Sirexx stated, still saddened by the High Ambusher's deeds. Ke'nir took a deep sigh when he answered.

"Alt'hesh was different from Danoxx and the other officers. There was a thing I still remember the best of all the things he said in our times together." Ke'nir seemed gloomy as he prepared to recite the deceased Unseen's words. The others looked at him in curiosity and compassion. Ke'nir's speech was weak and his breath still raspy but they had calmed down somewhat since stopping.

"It was fourteen… or fifteen years ago, just as we were facing a troll colony in a faraway land of Azshara. A group of the fiends started chasing us after we had stolen their chieftain's fetish, apparently an object of immense power. We managed to fight them off but one of the trolls fought on, even without its other arm and its skin filled with deep, painful cuts. Finally, as it fell, its life fading fast, Alt'hesh crouched to talk to the poor fool. "Why would you continue the fight? You could have just said that we escaped and you would be able to live on. Was it because you wished to prove to yourself that you're a faithful servant of your chieftain or because you feared the others would find out your secret? I cannot say you made the right choice, looking at you now. We fight on because we know a failure to comply will end in our deaths. I fight on because I wish to survive." The troll merely spitted on Alt'hesh's face, prompting Alt'hesh to end its misery.

"But didn't Alt'hesh say that it's better to a long life in peace than a short one looking for something greater?" Kritass asked in confusion. Ke'nir sneered briefly before he answered.

"It might seem so. However, the way I see it was that Alt'hesh wished to say that fighting because of the "common good" didn't lead anywhere and while that's what we tried to do, survival guided ours, and Alt'hesh's, decisions. I cannot say for sure but I never saw Alt'hesh as a visionary, only as one Unseen who saw his own goals as more important than the others'. He was always a good leader but he always served himself, first and foremost." Ke'nir concluded, the words silently sinking into his comrades' minds. Apparently none of them had never understood their deceased leader completely.

* * *

Tahesha's hands rose as she prepared to ask for the wind's blessing. Haeshe had asked the Freewind, who were faithful to their name, to grant the Skyfather's blessing upon them for the days to come. That was the favor they had come to do to their suspicious allies. They had no idea what was the other tribes' biddings but this was the only place under their responsibility. They would see it over.

After a few minutes, Koln and Tahesha's efforts paid off and a small, gentle breeze embraced the village in its refreshing embrace. This was a gesture that was often seen as a proof of the Skyfather's favor. Haeshe smiled as he felt the soft yet noticeable gust of wind blowing across the village. He once again approached the two Freewind shaman, offering them something they hadn't expected.

"Don't be alarmed by the gestures of the guards. They're just cautious but feel welcome to spend some time among us. The High Shaman has given you this permission for the reaffirmation of the Freewinds' friendship." Tahesha couldn't say she was thrilled by Haeshe's offer but it would bode ill for them to decline Haeshe's rare offer. If one of the leading members of a tribe offered something, it was an insulting gesture to decline. Koln knew this and saved Tahesha the effort of trying to sound thankful.

"Thank you, Haeshe. We will gladly stay for a while longer but we must leave before dawn. We have our own duties as you well know." Haeshe seemed a bit disappointed but he hid it masterfully. He answered shortly.

"So be it. We'll meet again in the future, young ones." The old shaman then turned away to address the Sandhowl shamans. The audience had ended.

"What can we do? The others don't seem as welcoming as Haeshe!" Tahesha whispered to Koln who answered in a neutral way.

"They know who we are. That'll do for now so we can join their celebrations. We can leave soon but we mustn't insult the Sandhowl on this hour!" Koln's voice was low but and it carried no hurry or wish to leave. Tahesha frowned but she didn't object. Perhaps in a few weeks, the two tribes would have to fight side by side.

* * *

 _Two more hours… I cannot believe I've made it this far!_

A small smiled formed on Ke'nir's face as he contemplated his situation. If only his legs could carry him for the remaining part of the journey. He felt terrible and each second he continued his run felt miserably hard and taxing. However, he had done better than he had expected. The wall of stone was taking a turn towards the north, implicating that the valley's push into the Barrens was beginning.

Ke'nir could also see that his comrades knew that they were close. Their pace quickened somewhat, prompted by the knowledge that the rescue was near. The mesas started to grow slightly more apart, reinforcing the qirajis' hopes of escaping the narrow valley undetected. Little did they know that their greatest enemy was flying all around them.

* * *

"What is it? Did you feel something?" Haeshe asked as one of the other shaman seemed to suddenly frown and begin to throw more of the mysterious sand into the air. He waited a moment until he answered to the High Shaman's question.

"Intruders… The winds cannot tell me what they are but they are neither tauren nor elves." He then looked far into the valley below but he couldn't see any hidden secrets among the dark shadows of the mesas. Everything was still in the land below.

"Are they hostile? Should we investigate the issue?" Haeshe wasn't on the mood to chase intruders but it was his duty should the shaman affirm his fears.

"I cannot say… The Earthmother hasn't revealed all of her secrets." The shaman's cryptic answer disappointed Haeshe due to its vagueness. This meant that the Sandhowl would have to look into the issue. The High Shaman left for the central tent, alerting the rest of the tribe to the unexpected news.

Tahesha was startled by a sudden, low yet loud voice speaking from behind her. She was watching a skillful interpretation of dancing around a burning pole, an ancient tradition that stemmed back for generations. She quickly turned her gaze to the speaker whom she identified immediately. It was Eraln, Chieftain of the Sandhowl tribe.

"My tribesmen and women! Our High Shaman delivered worrisome news that a group of unidentified enemies are approaching our beloved home! We must eliminate this threat immediately, to make sure it won't return in larger numbers. Our honored braves, stand forth if you wish to earn your Chieftain's blessing." In a moment, over twenty tauren stepped forward, willing to answer their leader's call. Tahesha got an idea immediately, and sought out Koln from among the crowd. Luckily he wasn't far.

"Koln! You heard what the Chieftain said? Let's go with them!" Tahesha exclaimed in excitement while the first of the tauren were accepted into the expedition.

"Why? Why would you want to chase some by passers if we don't want to?" Koln asked, clearly confused by his companion's words.

"Because we can leave faster in that case! And I'd say it's a nice gesture towards our hosts if we help them defend their home." Tahesha quickly answered to his question. Koln looked at her for a moment, carefully calculating her words. While he wasn't exactly excited to go on a chase, he couldn't question her logic with the strengthening the tribes' alliance. And she clearly wasn't enjoying her time here so why would he keep her here forcibly?

"Very well. This is unlikely to take a long time anyway…" Koln finally conceded and begun to march towards the chieftain. Some of the other tauren seemed surprised by the sudden gesture but none objected. Tahesha was the first one to speak to Eraln.

"Honored Chieftain, let us join the hunt. Each and any threat in the Thousand Needles is a concern for every tribe. Please give us a chance to serve your, as well as our own, tribe in this mission." Tahesha spoke in an honoring voice to the large, grey male. Eraln investigated the two Freewind shaman closely, deeply surprised by their offer. He wasn't truly excited by the prospect of them joining the chase but what ill could they do? Even if he didn't trust them, trying to insult another tribe during these tumultuous time wasn't a good idea. Moreover, they would be unlikely to do more damage in the valley below than in the home of the Sandhowl.

"Very well but you better not drag my forces down! Now, go!" Eraln stated simply, not wanting to hear further words. Time was on the essence. The two Freewind quickly joined the group of Sandhowls who clearly weren't happy about their presence. They gave no openly hostile gestures but they gave a simple gesture.

 _You better not slow us down._

* * *

Sirexx's eyes investigated the surrounding mesas. A heavy burden was lifting from his shoulders as the passes to the Barrens drenched ever closer. Even Ke'nir's steps seemed to be getting lighter despite the raspy voice that could be heard with his every breath. The morning would arrive soon but it would matter little.

The Unseen jumped over another block of rocks and preparing for a small jump from a low cliff when one detail in the landscape caught his attention. In the distance an elevator was being lowered to the ground. Sirexx couldn't see the detail but apparently it had quite many passengers. Even if they had seen many groups of tauren this night, this was the largest there had been. It wasn't enough to make the brown Unseen concerned but it clearly raised his curiosity. There was no way they had been spotted so what were they doing? He gave the mark to his comrades to be extremely vigilant but he didn't command them to hide. There was little reason for that at this point.

Sirexx begun to crouch and move only through the shadiest of places. He continued to follow the group's movements, not letting them from his eyes for a moment. To his chagrin, they didn't seem to be heading towards the other mesas nor the main roads. In fact, they seemed to stop near the elevator to apparently discuss something.

 _What the hell are they doing? It's like they're not going anywhere… but what is their goal? Four of them seem to be shamans and the rest mere warriors…_

Sirexx's eyes widened as the group begun to move towards him. He quickly flowed deeper into the shadows, making sure his cover was adequate. Did the tauren actually know about the presence of the Sar'nexar? The Unseen begun to quickly move forwards in order to see if the chasers were actually after them. The three others quickly followed suit, realizing the same thing Sirexx had. The many large rock formations gave them many places to hide and the quartet moved only in the places they knew the taurens' eyes would never see them.

* * *

"Can you still feel them?" A Sandhowl shaman asked his colleague who had alerted the tauren to the enemy's presence in the first place. The younger shaman frowned heavily as he answered.

"My Far Sight caught only a few glimpses of them. They move quickly and are well-taught in the arts of hiding. But the most dangerous part is… that they are qiraji." The shaman took a pause before the revelation as he knew his comrades were unlikely to approve of the news. The qiraji were widely feared and hated and it had been months since they had last been seen in the Needles. High Shaman Orith's tragic death had been the last time they had been spotted and that had been the boiling point between the tauren and the qiraji. This transgression wouldn't go unpunished.

"Where are they? We must find them quickly!" One of the braves said with a stunned voice. She was visibly afraid of the news.

"They're heading towards the east near the northern wall hut that is all I know. As I said, they're hiding masterfully. We must go where they're going and pray that we find them somehow!" Koln was visibly disheartened by this. He had hoped the trip would be easy but there was no turning back now. Finding qiraji assassins in the night would be a hard task.

* * *

"They know we're here but they don't seem to know our exact position. With luck, they won't be able to hinder our flight." Ke'nir informed his comrades. The group had been once again called together, this time by Kritass who had grown highly concerned by the new developments. A group of two dozen tauren chasing them was the last thing the qiraji wanted but they had no choice but to accept the fact.

"What concerns me is that how they knew of our presence in the first place. We never walked in the open or did any major mistakes." Sirexx added in a neutral voice.

"It wouldn't be miracle if one of us screwed things up at some point. I'm not pointing at anyone but it's possible." Yr'haxx offered in an unsure voice. Sirexx sighed and scratched the corners of his eyes with his chela. He then spoke in a tired voice.

"It matters little now. They know we're here and I wouldn't be surprised if they'd call for reinforcements soon. Let's go!" Each second the group would spend talking about the situation only made it worse.

* * *

"What was that?" Koln asked as he thought he heard distant rattle from among the rock formations. One of the Sandhowls turned towards him, asking in a rude voice.

"What was what?" The brave asked, getting frustrated of half an hour of fruitless search. Koln was slightly taken aback by the stern demand but he answered shortly.

"It sounded like something fell over there! Follow me!" Koln quickly printed away from the group, earning angry yells from some of the Sandhowls. However, they followed shortly as there was a chance the Freewind shaman had actually heard something. Koln, too, hoped he wasn't wrong as he understood a wrong call would do little to improve his standing in the already tense group.

* * *

"Ke'nir, get up! They heard you!" Sirexx exclaimed in fear as he saw the first taurens starting to run towards his position. Ke'nir had fallen while trying to get over a small mound of rocks. The black Unseen lied still for a moment until he answered in a pained voice.

"Ughh… Of course this had to happen…" The qiraji's already miserable condition only worsened after the unfortunate fall. He struggled to get up to his feet which succeeded only after herculean efforts. Sirexx's face was a mask of fear as he tried to make his friend hurry up. Ke'nir's first steps were desperate stumbling but Sirexx tried to help him regain the pace. It would take only a few minutes before the tauren would reach their position. The duo disappeared into the shadows once again but the damage had already been made.

* * *

"I saw one of them! They're qiraji assassins!" Tahesha called as she reached Koln's side. This had already been suspected before but this time the spotting was behind all doubt. They weren't even too far: there was a decent chance of catching them. The Sandhowls heard her words and increased their pacing. Whatever the fiends' target, their mission would fail tonight.

* * *

Ke'nir run in a deeply crouched position, his heart burning horribly and his lungs finally feeling like they had reached their end. Each step he took felt longer than the previous and his posture grew worse. His body begun to increasingly waiver and pant and his legs shuddered violently. Finally, something had to give up. Ke'nir fell to the ground without any words or any struggles.

"Ke'nir! Get up, they're coming!" Sirexx yelled in horror as the black qiraji's body lied unmoving on the ground. Not a word was heard from him and for a moment, Sirexx thought he had already passed on. He quickly crouched to his friend's side, speaking in horror- and grief-stricken voice.

"We must escape this place! They're here soon!" Sirexx was already giving up his efforts when he finally heard Ke'nir answer to him.

"I'm too weak to take another step, Sirexx. I'm done for." Ke'nir's voice sounded exhausted, only now revealing the enormous toll the journey had taken to him. He raised his head slightly from the ground, looking straight at Sirexx's stunned eyes. The brown qiraji knew he had expected this to happen but even then, he had never prepared for this terrifying situation.

"You know you can do this, Ke'nir! You've gone through much worse times than this!" Sirexx spoke against his better judgement and Ke'nir answered in a firm voice, clearly wanting to hear no objections.

"I might live for a day or two but I'll never make it to the Barrens. Please, Sirexx, spare me that time as a prisoner of the tauren!" Sirexx closed his eyes as he contemplated his friend's words. He would never forgive himself for this but he could see Ke'nir's condition. If Ke'nir wished to avoid the time as a prisoner of the tauren, it was his duty to comply. Ra'jol had managed to take his old friend to the grave, after all. Ke'nir's eyes widened as he saw Sirexx take his knife from his belt. Sirexx spoke softly.

"Do you remember the first time we met? The first morning when we met with Danoxx… We were pretty different back then…" Ke'nir was about to object to Sirexx's words but the brown qiraji tried to calm him down. He would help Ke'nir depart Kalimdor in the easiest way possible. Tears fell from Sirexx's eyes as he continued.

"You said that we looked weak and slow and I thought you were just full of yourself. Yet, the first day turned out be better than we thought…" Sirexx stopped to give Ke'nir a chance to speak.

"I guess we understood each other better than we expected… Those were happy days…" It was at this moment when Sirexx did what he had to do, cutting a deep cut across his entire throat. It was mere seconds until Sirexx was beginning to be covered in the greenish hemolymph. However, his sobs drowned any other feeling he had. He then spoke softly.

"Go tell Alt'hesh and the others that I'm grateful to each of them… I'm just so sorry…" Ke'nir's body twitched heavily, a testament to the amount of pain the dying Unseen was going through. No matter how quickly Sirexx tried to end his woes, there was no other way around the death's gate. Slowly, Ke'nir's struggles started to fade and in a few seconds, his body laid unmoving in Sirexx's arms.

An endless emptiness filled Sirexx as he realized that his old friend was gone. He didn't even feel sadness as the loneliness suddenly begun to envelop the Unseen's body. He would wanted nothing more than to stay by Ke'nir's side but the in the corners of his eyes reminded him of the situation. There was no time for grief now. With an empty mind, Sirexx rose up and headed after his two comrades who knew nothing of the transpired events.

* * *

Tahesha looked around her in disappointment. The few traces of their prey had disappeared, the night becoming as still as it had been before the cursed qiraji had appeared in their home. Tahesha sweared in her mind as she tried to use Far Sight to find her target but in vain. After a few minutes, however, she saw something lying on the ground. A dead Unseen.

"What… what happened here?" Tahesha muttered as she saw Ke'nir's body lying in a pool of hemolymph. The tauren group approached the corpse in curiosity.

"The creature's throat is cut open. The beasts are even more barbaric than we thought." said one of the Sandhowls, his voice dipping with loathing. None of the tauren disagreed with him but one of the Sandhowl shamans came up with an idea.

"I know few of you know about it but there are a few narrow passes leading to the Barrens. It seems the qiraji are heading right towards it." Koln answered her in a careful voice.

"Are you sure? How could the qiraji know about ways even few tauren know about?" The Sandhowl turned towards Koln, her voice so cold that it could have frozen with a touch.

"Because, Freewind, the qiraji have moved unnoticed for years. They must know ways few know and the passages must be some of those. Follow me, we may yet catch the bastards before they can escape!"

* * *

Kritass felt his mind slowly resign to the possibility that Ke'nir wouldn't join them anymore. His absence and Sirexx's expression confirmed his fears that Ke'nir's condition had finally got the better of him. Kritass could only hope that the poor Unseen's end had been easy and relatively painless. He hadn't known Ke'nir for a long time but he would always be in the deceased qiraji's debt. Without his guidance, help and companionship, none of three remaining qiraji would be here anymore.

 _Thank you, Ke'nir. You were a true comrade._

Even in his grief-filled thoughts Kritass could see that he was getting close to his destination. The grand tauren elevator could be seen just in front of the three Sar'nexar and the few, so dearly waited passages were only a short distance away afterwards. The three last rebels would most likely reach safety but the loss of Ke'nir made the feat a bittersweet victory. For now, the most important thing was not to let Ke'nir's help go to waste. There would be no ceremony, no vengeance but even then, Kritass knew Ke'nir's deeds would never be forgotten.

"Look out! They're still following us!" Yr'haxx called with a desperate voice. Kritass looked around him and saw the tauren approaching them from the south. They had bypassed the worst rocks and they had run faster than the already exhausted Sar'nexar. Kritass gritted his teeth as he called to his two comrades.

"Run faster! The passages are only a few hundred meters away; we can still reach them before the tauren!" The gladiator could feel his voice break as he realized that his words could very well be left unrealized. The tauren were making a good attempt at trying to cut them off from the entrance. Kritass could his hemolymph run cold. Their escape was a matter of seconds. His eyes eventually caught the side of the narrow passage, without a doubt the one that would lead them to the barrens.

* * *

Tahesha looked at the qiraji in disgust, thinking about the terrifying deeds these few bastards had committed against her kind and she wasn't about to let the damned insects leave the Needles alive. She quickened her pace as she headed for the opening. The success of her mission was a matter of seconds. I the qiraji managed to enter the passage first, there was a chance that they could hold their position in one-on-one combat.

* * *

Sirexx's mind was still numb for Ke'nir's loss but he could see that his own survival was on a razor's edge. He was the first of the three and he headed straight towards the opening. The tauren were only a few dozen meters away when Sirexx vanished between the two walls of rock. Kritass followed him shortly, quickly pushing Sirexx further into the tunnel. Finally, Yr'haxx entered but he turned quickly around to parry a hit of a tauren axe. Yr'haxx let out a shriek of pain when the heavy weapon descended upon his chela but the limb survived unharmed. However, the tauren was quickly pushing the qiraji deeper into the tunnel.

Yr'haxx looked in horror at the ferocious tauren brave slowly overpowering the much smaller qiraji slowly but surely.

"Yr'haxx, run, quickly! The bull won't be able to catch you if you just run!" Kritass called him in an alarmed voice. Yr'haxx, however, knew that wasn't the case. He couldn't turn his back on the ferocious attackers because it would most likely result in his swift elimination. And even if he could start his escape, he knew there was little chance he could outrun the normally slower tauren after today's ordeal. He was close to exhausted and the tauren was still relatively lively. With a chilling feeling, he realized he was tied into a losing fight. He took a long, resigned sigh as he called to his two remaining comrades.

"I'll hold them off! Run, I'll follow you shortly!" Yr'haxx staggered backwards as one more powerful hit landed on his armor. Kritass called back to him in a desperate voice.

"Don't be foolish! You won't fall to a group of tauren! Get here and escape!" Yr'haxx felt anger flush through his veins and he let an attack slip through his defense to end the argument right there. The brave's axe hit his upper arm, severing it from his body. Kritass and Sirexx looked at their comrade's struggles in horror but each of them knew they had to honor Yr'haxx's sacrifice. Sirexx turned away, the respectful silence telling everything Yr'haxx had to know. The falling qiraji felt a flow of relief as he continued his predestined battle. He would fall but the last two of the Sar'nexar would live to see the dawn. That wasn't saying that he didn't regret joining them. The fight went on for many more minutes, during which Yr'haxx tried to come to terms with situation.

 _Be safe, Sirexx and Kritass. Make sure our memory lives for many years to come. How I hope I could live those years myself…_

His thoughts were disturbed by another blow that fell him to the ground. The last thing Yr'haxx saw was a huge tauren axe falling down on him… after which the qiraji's consciousness failed for the last time.

* * *

 **Etiksh's group's destruction wasn't the end of the endless dangers for the rebels.** **The Sar'nexar are once again closer to their destination but are they going to find their reprieve with only two remaining members? I hope you found this chapter a worthy end for one of our main characters as well as a tribute to the many great cultures and lore of the Warcraft universe. I definitely enjoyed writing it. The next chapter should be completed by the end of next weekend. Take care until then!**


	39. The Elusive Rescue

**The Elusive Rescue**

The Barrens were full of different noises during the late afternoon. Singing of the birds, the wind humming through the endless wastes and a hyena's howl in the distance were just some voices that could be heard in the southern parts of the mighty plains. Heavy clouds hung heavily upon the landscape but no drops of rain from the grey hue. However, none of this meant anything to a brown qiraji who was, to his great sorrow, awakening from a long but restless sleep.

The waking world hit Sirexx heavily in the first seconds of his slowly recovering consciousness. A kodo's death cry accompanied the first rays of light that met the Unseen but he merely dismissed it as a completely secondary detail. Slowly and in deep fear, he rose to a sitting position and looked around him. Sirexx explored the small oasis cave they'd found shortly after reaching the Barrens. His eyes wandered from wall to wall but his eyes could only locate Kritass' still sleeping form. Sirexx buried his head in chis chelae as he realized that none of the events of the past day was a terrible nightmare. No matter how many times he would fall asleep and try to think it as a new beginning, Sirexx knew Ke'nir wouldn't return.

The Unseen rose to his feet carefully in order not to wake up Kritass and walked to the cave's opening. Just two days earlier everything had been fine with the defeat of Etiksh's group. At that day, Sirexx was confident that he would be able to share this "happy" day with his closest friend but then the damned disease had appeared. Sirexx's head fell as he thought that the Dustwallow Marsh was within his reach but what good was it anymore? Ke'nir, nor Yr'haxx, wasn't here to ever see their supposed sanctuary.

Sirexx took a deep breath as a cool breath of wind flushed through the cave opening. How he wished to simply close his eyes and return to the walls of the Promise, enjoying another of his many lazy days. Those had been happy days in so many ways, even if he didn't realize it himself. Sirexx felt himself even more miserable as he recalled his conversation with Ke'nir on their ways to guard Skeram which led to the outbreak of the nightmarish war. He recalled his, now seemingly, confession to Ke'nir about his will to achieve something greater than a normal Unseen was qualified to.

" _Yet it's hard to imagine why that would be better than the present. I guess if I were there, I'd want back to my current life."_

Sirexx felt tears fall down his cheeks as he thought about the truth of those words. Indeed, he had achieved more than any Unseen since the days of the War of Inception but at what cost? Nearly all of his friends were dead and he was destined to spend the rest of his life as a loathed outcast. He didn't regret his choices but he couldn't help but wonder if things could have gone differently…

"Sirexx? Have you been awake for long?" Kritass asked carefully as he saw Sirexx standing near the opening of the cavern. His voice was cautious due to the disastrous situation. Clear grief was apparent in his voice but he had never known either Ke'nir and Yr'haxx as Sirexx had. Even through his own sorrow, he had to try to avoid upsetting Sirexx even more.

"Not at all, Kritass… I'm glad to see that you're awake too." Sirexx spoke somewhat absentmindedly, not turning to look at the gladiator. His eyes were fixated on a vague point somewhere behind the distant horizon. They didn't move and Sirexx's breath was heavy. Kritass looked at him in concern. Even after Alt'hesh's or the others' loss, the brown qiraji hadn't been this silent. It was clear that Ke'nir's loss was taking a heavy toll on him. Kritass spoke in a soft voice, trying to open a line of communication to Sirexx's distressed mind.

"We should probably get moving soon. The Marsh is only two days' walk away." Sirexx took a good while to answer and when he did, his voice was bitter and silent.

"What for? All our comrades are gone. For so long, I always thought that my comrades, or friends, were the things that kept me going forward. I'm sorry, Kritass but I'm just… lost. I don't know what to do anymore." Sirexx finally turned around, his grief-stricken eyes meeting with Kritass'. The gladiator was taken aback by Sirexx's despair.

"But… we're still here. You know what, Sirexx? Maybe it's a question of caste but we, the gladiators, don't live half as long as you Unseen do. We are the main battle force and we take the highest casualties in battle. All of us are prepared to die and even now, I'd give my life should it help my allies. However, I never got the chance." Sirexx felt guilt and powerlessness flow through his body as he listened to Kritass' words. He knew that the Unseen were far less numerous than the gladiators and they had a lower mortality rate. Without joining the Sar'nexar, Kritass would more than likely be dead by now. But still… he wasn't completely right.

"Yet, you flight in large groups, almost in armies. You had dozens of comrades at all times whereas I had only three… and it doesn't help that the Sar'nexar are all but vanquished by now…" Sirexx's voice fell as he sat down against the wall. Kritass looked at him in compassion but also in slight chagrin.

"You may be right but we, too, had close friends whom I gave up when I joined the Sar'nexar. For all I know, they could be dead already. Moreover, it's highly unlikely that stories of our kind have ever reached the Marshes…" Sirexx looked at him in confusion, unsure whether he had understood Kritass' comment right. The gladiator continued.

"The Marshes are a hostile and terrifying place to live for anyone. I doubt anyone's going to make their lives even harder while we're there." Sirexx turned his gaze straight to the opposing wall and answered after a moment.

"Even if they don't know much about us, do you honestly think anyone expect our own kind are ready to accept a, well, insect in their midst? No matter what, we'll still be feared and if not hunted, then at least avoided!" Sirexx's voice quickened as he spoke. He had never been a social type as he often liked to spend time alone. However, the prospect of Kritass being his only contact for the rest of his life shocked the brown Unseen deeply.

"We don't know who lives there. None of them can bring Ke'nir or Yr'haxx back of course but I still hope we can walk our road all the way to the end. We owe it to our comrades and to ourselves." Sirexx knew Kritass spoke the truth but it was much harder to accept it. He had lost close to everything and he didn't know if he was ready to rebuild everything from scratch again. However, Kritass wasn't in any better situation. In fact, his handicaps made his situation worse. For better or worse, he had to reward Kritass' courage by showing some of his own. He knew he couldn't defeat the pain in his body but he could try to hide for now. Sirexx finally rose from the floor and turned to face the Sun on its way towards the western horizon. The wall of grey clouds was slowly dispersing, paving way for a warm afternoon. It was a time for one journey to become complete.

"We've got many hours left until the night falls. I'm ready whenever you are." Sirexx's voice was forced but they still carried some strength in them. Kritass felt slight relief as he saw Sirexx coming to terms with the present situation. He walked to Sirexx's side and spoke in a confident if solemn voice.

"There's nothing for us here. Let's go see our new home." Kritass sighed as he took his first steps outside the cave since the end of last night's chaotic escape. A long sleep had restored their strength but the deeper wounds would take time to heal.

* * *

The last remnants of the Sar'nexar moved slowly along the eastern mountain chain bordering the plains. The only landmarks were lone trees here and there and an occasional beast seeking for its next prey. In three directions opened only endless expanse of low grass and low hills. Sirexx felt a flow of memories flow through his mind as he saw the familiar thorns rise up from among the mountains, signaling the location of his quest for Sul'Thraze, all those months ago. The two qiraji went around the quilboar village in order to minimize the chance of them being spotted and potentially once again chased. Sirexx felt distinct relief as the hidden village drifted behind them as the entire quest rose memories he didn't want to dwell in anymore.

Kritass could see the gorge chewing its way into the mountainside and the huge thorns covering the walls of the gorge but he had no idea what it was hiding. The gladiators very rarely left the core areas of the Qiraji Empire in times of peace, most of their time being spent on training and preparing for the coming wars. The largest qiraji caste worked as guards, hunters and also as laborers. That is why Kritass knew very little of the Barrens or even the Thousand Needles.

However, he could see Sirexx's interest in the gorge. Normally he would have asked what Sirexx knew that the gladiator didn't but he could tell Sirexx wasn't willing to share those memories as they most likely held things he didn't want to recall. Truth be told, Kritass wasn't even too interested. He had never given thought to what lay beyond the qiraji lands, most of his life being dedicated to living as easy life as he could. He had always been mediocre in everything, seldom noticed by his superiors. He had never been rewarded for his deeds nor punished for his failures as there were few of either.

Kritass took a deep breath as he turned his eyes back on the scene in front of him. He had never asked for a chance to explore these parts of Kalimdor and even now, more of these desolate plains did little to impress him. If he were able to return to his old life, without a fear about the upcoming betrayal of the prophets, he would gladly take it. Even if the gladiator knew he no longer had that chance, he knew he would never get comfortable with living the life of an outcast.

* * *

Hours rolled by in a solemn silence, neither of the qiraji having anything to say. Everything they would have wanted to say had been discussed already, the infinite sorrow of losing their loyal comrades and the refuge they would soon find themselves in. The Barrens were mostly void of any intelligent life, harboring only tiny tauren hamlets here and there. In a way, it formed Kalimdor's center which was void of virtually anything. It would continue far further north than the Dustwallow Marshes. Of the Sar'nexar, only Ke'nir and Alt'hesh had ever seen what lies beyond it and at this point, neither of them really cared.

Sirexx took a look at the descending sun, realizing that it would be a good idea to try to find out their position before the day's light would expire. He stopped suddenly and begun to look at the sun's location. It was setting in the west straight to their left. Its position hadn't changed significantly and the vegetation was unchanged. Sirexx shrugged as he realized there was still a long way to go.

"We've only walked a fifth of the distance, at most. This will take time." Sirexx said to his companion who didn't look surprised. He answered shortly.

"We may as well continue until the late night. I'm not tired after our sleep." Kritass's voice was dry at Sirexx's words as was expected. The qiraji usually walked during the day as they could stand heat much better than the chilling winds of the night. Yet Sirexx had to agree with the gladiator. There was no reason to try to rest anytime soon. The more distance they covered, the faster they could end this journey, even if Sirexx wasn't sure if he even wanted that. The future looked grim and there was no way to make it look any brighter. He answered to Kritass again, trying to sound as indifferent as he could.

"Indeed. Even Dustwallow is a better place than this plain."

* * *

It was only after hours after nightfall when the two Sar'nexar finally agreed to rest. The mountainside was slowly starting to curve inwards, but the opening to the Marshes was nowhere to be seen. The two stopped by a small lake, surrounded by palms and a small grassy area around it. It was a suitable place to rest before the very last march of the disastrous journey that spelled the last demise of their own lives. Kritass was the first one to speak after they had settled down by the trees.

"Do you know where we are? It would be sensible for the others to seek out for oases like this." His voice was somewhat anxious but Sirexx wasn't exactly concerned. His thoughts were wandering the streets of the Promise, only a modicum of his attention directed towards Kritass and the oasis. His voice was distant as he answered.

"There's nobody anywhere nearby. The nearest tauren settlement is dozens of kilometers away and there's no else here. Be at ease." Kritass knew little of the surrounding lands so he didn't really want to argue with Sirexx about the issue. Even through their fears, the gladiator was still willing to trust Sirexx's judgement.

"Very well. Let's try to wake up by dawn this time. It'll be such a relief to finally reach our refuge." Sirexx didn't answer for a while, his eyes wandering the endless expanse above him. He wasn't looking at anything in particular, his mind being focused on his old house in the Promise and his books. After a long while, he finally answered to Kritass' comment,

"It will be. Maybe, finally our lives will be nothing than endless misery. Yet, even that is unclear. What if the prophets overrun that place too?" That scenario was completely plausible. For all the two Sar'nexar knew, the remnants of the elf army could have been annihilated already. The only thing that brought some relief to them was the fact that the Thousand Needles seemed to be untouched by the war, for the time being anyway.

"If Danoxx and the few others wish to live, they've told the prophets that we're dead. Ahn'Qiraj will never find us there." Sirexx shrugged sadly as he reflected on Kritass' memory. He didn't want to remind the gladiator but Kritass had to know about the risk they still were in.

"It isn't Danoxx I'm afraid of. But you remember what Alt'hesh showed us at our first meeting? Should the prophets win the war, there's no place we can hide. All of Kalimdor will fall and the Marshes along with it." Sirexx's voice was bitter and gloomy as he reflected on the possible state of affairs had Alt'hesh's gambit at Southwind paid off. Now, the last two remaining Sar'nexar were mere spectators in a struggle they could have played a decisive role had things played out only a little differently. Kritass took a short pause to register the Unseen's words. He had completely overlooked Skeram and Krejess' conversation and all its implications. His voice was fearful as he answered.

"Even then, there's nothing we can do. Even after Southwind, there's a chance that the elves win the war…" Sirexx snorted as he answered sternly. There was no way out of this mess that he would have hoped for.

"And what then? Should the elves win the war, the whole of Ahn'Qiraj will fall. Our cities will burn, our old comrades will be slaughtered and we will live on as the last memory of a dead race. Awesome." Sirexx's expression only darkened as he continued his grim speech. Kritass could see he wasn't really willing to go on with this conversation. He spoke in a resigned voice as he looked at Sirexx's distant-looking eyes.

"In any case, we'll make our way for the Marshes tomorrow. For better or worse, that's the best we can do anymore." Kritass fell into a lying position, closing his eyes and trying to ignore the cold truth of Sirexx's words. Maybe there would be a miracle that would allow the War of the Shifting Sands come into a happy end. He lay still for a moment and thankfully, the day's long journey had taken its toll on the gladiator. After a few minutes, his breath became more steady and with longer intervals. Sirexx could see his last companion had fallen asleep.

The brown gladiator observed the skies, trying to find something, anything that could provide him with a small flicker of hope. Yet, the sky was silent today. No shooting stars, no odd constellations, not even wind could be seen or felt in the black sky. Ne'xiro was once again floating high in the sky, with Foz'zero trailing far below it. It was believed to be a sign of a predictable future, one that would provide little to no surprises. Sirexx felt a chill in his spine as he wondered what would be the most likely outcome on the following day.

Not that he cared too much. Something had given in in his mind after Ke'nir's loss. Even if he hadn't given up on hope completely, he still felt a strong sense of loneliness and lack of directions. Even with Kritass with his side, his mind was focused on the future as a remnant of a dead race or as an eternal prey of the Creator's pawns.

For the past week, his thoughts were first of all focused on preserving the legacy of the Sar'nexar and of Ahn'Qiraj but now he saw no way to achieve those goals. His eyes scoured the western horizon as he contemplated the desperate situation he was in. He wanted to help Kritass survive but what good was it anyway? They were both in the same boat and Sirexx couldn't see how even Kritass could survive.

Sirexx's mind wandered these desperate thoughts over and over when he slowly fell to an uneasy sleep.

* * *

The silent ripple of the small lake and the voices of birds were the first things that greeted Sirexx's senses when the veil of sleep slowly drifted from his mind. Nothing was out of the ordinary but even then, some part of his mind warned of an incoming danger. Immediately the Unseen started to scan the sights around him and at first, he could see nothing out of the ordinary. He was slowly starting to believe it had been a wrong call but as he was returning to a lying position, his eyes caught a small view of something that wasn't supposed to be there. A flag… and a violet one!

Sirexx quickly moved behind the nearest rock and whispered in a stark and alarmed voice.

"Kritass! Wake up, now!" The Unseen's voice was extremely sharp and its tone woke Kritass immediately. Before he could answer, the brown qiraji continued in the same voice.

"Move behind a tree! The elves are coming!" Kritass complied immediately, hiding himself behind a large tree close to Sirexx's rock.

"How? Where did they come from?" Kritass asked in a completely normal voice, his dizziness already diminished by the terrifying awakening.

"I don't know what they're even doing here! But we have no time to think about that, they're coming here! Let's go, now!" Sirexx begun to crouch forwards, trying to use the lingering shadows of the early dawn to hide him. However, as he realized quickly, Kritass wasn't as adept in using the shadows to hide him and the gladiator realized immediately that he would never escape the advancing elf army without being detected. Additionally, the elves had their cat-like mounts so there would be no way to escape them. He took a worried look at Sirexx and called to him in a desperate voice.

"I cannot escape them! Go on, Sirexx, while you still can!" Sirexx looked at him in alarm as he saw the elf group coming ever closer. However, he couldn't see any way out of the situation. He would never leave Kritass to die in the hands of these fiends, no matter what happened to himself. If Kritass couldn't escape, neither would he. In a disgusting realization, he understood the two had only one choice. To try to do the same thing Alt'hesh had tried to. He could only pray from all his heart that these elves would be more sensible than Fandral after the loss of his son.

Kritass looked in terror as he saw Sirexx turn around and begin to walk towards the advancing elf regiment. Sirexx's face was stoic but he could tell that his mind was a swirl of different emotions. He called on Sirexx in a desperate voice as the brown qiraji walked past him.

"Don't be foolish, Sirexx! They'll kill you!" Sirexx turned to his companion and said in a slow voice. His mask of calmness was very shallow and Kritass saw through it.

"I won't continue without you, Kritass. There's just no point… either the elves accept our help or they don't. But I won't be the only survivor of the Sar'nexar." Kritass could only watch as Sirexx rose his chelae and walked towards the first of the arriving elves. They quickly surrounded the two qiraji and one of them dismounted and approached Sirexx with a hostile yet surprised look. It was a blue-haired female, with brown paintings on her face. She spoke in taurahe, the language the qiraji we most likely be able to speak.

"More qiraji scum. Tell us one reason why we wouldn't kill you where you stand, monster." She wanted to know if there was anything to be learned from the two qiraji. Sirexx was slightly relieved to know they weren't killed on sight. He answered quickly in order to appease the elf.

"We're outcasts from Ahn'Qiraj. Our comrades have been murdered but we managed to flee the clutches of the prophets." The elf rebuked quickly, not believing Sirexx's words.

"Why would I believe you? Your kind has proven you're nothing more than mindless murderers." Sirexx looked at her in a pleading way but he answered in a firm voice.

"We were until some of us could learn about our leaders' plans. We sacrificed everything in order to buy ourselves a chance of resisting them. We failed but we still have information that could help you win the war. Please, if you only…"

"Silence!" The elf turned to talk to another Sentinel on her right side and whispered to her in a silent voice. After a few moments, she addressed Sirexx once more.

"You will answer to Lady Feathermoon. She will decide if you are worth keeping along or not." Sirexx and Kritass' hands were tied quickly and a group of elves forced them to walk. The two hapless qiraji walked through the regiment of elves, knowing that there was little chance that the elves would ever believe them. Yet, there was still a small chance that the elf leader would see the benefits of saving the two renegade qiraji.

Sirexx was surprised to see the "Lady Feathermoon". Even if it had been many months since that day, Sirexx could tell immediately who she was. This was one of the members of the elf delegation that attended the meeting where the war begun. To Sirexx's surprise and horror, Shandris also remembered him.

"Of all the despicable insects I've seen, you're brought to me! One of Skeram's chosen bodyguards…" Shandris' eyes were cold as she stared at Sirexx. Her voice was emotionless, and it only deepened Sirexx's horror. The Unseen answered quickly, in a voice even a night elf could identify as regretful.

"Yes, I was there… I thought would be the best day of my life but the war turned into something I never would have expected. We've fought Skeram and nearly killed him and for that, we're outcasts!" Shandris' expression didn't stir in the lightest, her words dipping poison as she answered.

"Why? All of the qiraji I've met have served their masters without question and murdered my comrades, my friends in the most hideous ways possible. Why would you two be any different?" Kritass felt himself miserable as he followed the conversation. He wasn't able to speak or even understand taurahe so he had no idea how it was going. Judging by Sirexx's face, not too well.

The Unseen's mind worked on overdrive. He couldn't possible tell Shandris the whole story but without understanding the qiraji culture, she would never believe his words. If she was even willing to listen.

"Our kind is very obedient, that is true, and we were taught to never question our leaders' words. It's a long story but we found out about our prophets' plans for Kalimdor! We wanted to fight against it but we failed."

"So what good are you to me? Either you are liars and spies or complete weaklings who couldn't even betray their comrades properly." Deep inside, Sirexx was deeply insulted by Shandris' words. No matter what she had experienced, she had no right to insult his fallen comrades. But he knew he had to swallow his feelings and try to save his and Kritass' life.

"We know Skeram's plans and the tactics used by the qiraji army as well as the location of our strongholds. Should our kind win, all of Kalimdor is doomed. Please, let us try to help. We want nothing more than to see Skeram's downfall." Sirexx spoke slowly and as honestly as he could in his distressed state.

Shandris weighed the qiraji's words carefully. It was true that he probably knew valuable information that could turn the tide of the war. He sounded sincere and his situation was completely hopeless but that proved nothing. The qiraji she had met were completely fanatical, always ready to tear their enemies apart at the cost of their own life. Even if the qiraji knew what he claimed, that still didn't mean he was going to tell about them honestly. For all she knew, he could be trying to lead them to a trap. She had been there at Southwind, the memory of Valstann being torn to pieces burned into her mind. Whatever this qiraji was proposing would bring more harm than good. Fandral had ordered that no qiraji would be let to live. She wasn't about to let the cursed villains escape from their crime.

"Yes… you could help me… by murdering me when I sleep? I couldn't care less what you claim to have done but I've seen enough! You are capable of doing nothing good and Kalimdor will only know peace when the last of your race has been slaughtered! Guards, do what you must!" Shandris' voice was full of loathing as she turned away from the two qiraji. Sirexx stared at her in deep shock, not wanting to believe what his ears were telling him. The elf was willing to throw away their help despite it being a key to saving thousands of elf lives?

"Lady Feathermoon! Please reconsider…." Sirexx's words were cut by a piece of cloth that was tied in front of his mouth. He could see Kritass being given the same treatment. The qiraji begun to twitch in horror as a group of elves surrounded him and begun to drag him away from the crowd. Wherever the qiraji turned his gaze, he could only see masks of deep hate and disgust, whose only relief was provided by the knowledge of the qirajis' destination.

Kritass' mind raced in deep horror and disbelief. Even if he hadn't understood the words, he could easily decipher their meaning. He tried to free his tied hands but each attempt only earned him another hit with guards' swords. Soon Kritass realized that his struggles were futile. He simply couldn't believe it would end like this.

Sirexx, unlike Kritass, lied almost limp as the guards dragged him through the last lines of elves. His heart was already grabbed by the cold grip, one that overshadowed his will to try to fight back. His eyes were fixed on the sand, unable to see anything else at this point. Soon, the dragging stopped and Sirexx was forced to his knees. He could to his left, seeing Kritass in the same situation as him. The Unseen had seen countless others in the same situation, each of them shuddering in fear or crying for mercy. But even if his mouth weren't blocked by the cloth, he would have stilled stayed silent.

The qiraji looked at an elf approaching him with a huge axe, her steps slow due to the gravity of the next minute. Even as Sirexx looked at the approaching elf, he didn't really feel the deep terror he expected an approaching death to bring. The biggest single sensation was that of fulfillment. All his life had been serving, either the Creator or his comrades. Now that both of those had been stripped away, he felt ready.

Sirexx took some of his last moments to reflect the happiest moments of his life. As he looked at the distant horizon, he could see himself once again during the endless days of training in Silithus with Idh'lash, the good and bad times with his first squad as well as the overflowing nostalgia of his first meeting with his three closest comrades. His mind flowed quickly through his adventures he had shared with them, for a moment forgetting the position he was in. Whatever would come to pass, he would be eternally grateful for those moments.

Kritass shuddered seemingly as the two executioners went to their places. To the gladiator, the prospect of the inevitable brought deep horror to the primal instincts in his mind and that could be seen in his behavior. However, every gladiator had been trained to fight against the fear of death in order to sacrifice it to the Creator whenever the need be. In addition, Sirexx's companionship at this moment comforted him deeply.

Sirexx fixed his eyes on a small bird in the distance, following its flight as he could tell the axes rising above the two qiraji. How he wished he could have lived like the bird for decades to come, sharing it with his comrades, new and old. Building a new Ahn'Qiraj, free from C'thun's corruption. But that was not to be, his hope snatched away one by one as his friends fell.

 _Ra'jol, Ke'nir, Danoxx, all of the others… I tried to live on to your deeds but I simply couldn't. This war has destroyed our race and I was unable to stop it! None of us could… Goodbye, everyone…. see you all soon._

The axes flashed in the dawn's sunlight. The air was warm and bright as two chops could be heard by the small oasis. The sound rang through the plains, the last testament to a doomed struggle none of those present or anyone after would never know. The story of the Sar'nexar had reached its end.

* * *

 **With this chapter, the rebellion against Ahn'Qiraj, or rather it's masters, has been crushed.** **I hope you found this chapter a worthy end to the struggle of the Sar'nexar.** **We have one final chapter left until this story is completed! Danoxx and Shandris' storylines still have untied ends that need to be addressed. The good news is that it's mostly completed and should be ready in a few days... Take care until the epilogue is released!**


	40. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Shandris' face grew pale as she stared at the sight that opened before her eyes. Mere seconds ago, everything had been alright, her forces preparing to join Fandral's main force at Tanaris, trying to contain the imminent qiraji offensive. Now, however, she was facing an all-out charge from two directions on her forces.

The pass away from the valley of countless mesas was completely unguarded which was enough in itself to raise questions in the mind of the Sentinel general. However, the absence of any hostile forces in the area around the pass slowly returned the night elf's confidence, believing that the qiraji were oblivious to her troops' arrival. For numerous hours, the group of four hundred new recruits braved the desert heat, the burning wind further complicating their struggles.

It all began as a small movement in the Sentinel's left eye, the elf initially dismissing it as nothing more than a small lizard in the corner of her eye. However, that pleasant hope was wiped away the next moment, as long lines of distant silhouettes started to paint themselves in the golden horizon. For a few seconds, the elves looked around themselves in utter fear as hordes of gladiators started to surround them. Even more frighteningly, they seemed to ride on some kind of silithid, making it impossible for the elves to try to outrun the attackers.

Shandris stared still for a few seconds until she recovered her senses. This was an extremely unfortunate development but not anything unprecedented. She quickly cast a beam of moonfire upwards, a pillar of pure, blue light soon separating the sky in two. Some of the nearby elf groups would see it and help Shandris' group survive the onslaught.

"Sentinels! Quickly, form defensive lines to weather the initial charge! We will soon repel them!" Instantly, the night elf troops formed a defensive circle, taking their bows to thin the qiraji numbers before the actual battle begun. The qiraji were only a few hundred meters away at this point, the collision only a few moments away. The volleys of arrows took a great toll on the qiraji ranks but unlike the last time, Shandris saw no hesitation, no fear in the eyes of the charging gladiators. It was as if they no longer cared in the least about their own survival.

"Charge! The initial hit of the charge is too much for you to handle!" The night elf general knew that should her troops stay still, they would be an easy prey to the qiraji hordes. At this point, a counterattack was the best chance her army would get.

The nightsabers started to move towards the charging silithid, slowly gathering pace as the incoming horde closed upon the elves. During the first contact, dozens of troops from both sides fell immediately, their bodies penetrated by enemy swords and spears. Many of the combatants were dismounted, being forced to fight on foot amidst the hellish battle. Shandris fought shoulder-to-shoulder with her comrades, resisting the crushing force of the qiraji war machine. One by one, the elves around her fell, only to be replaced by new recruits who would share the others' fate in a matter of seconds.

Even if the elf army consisted of hundreds of fresh recruits, the qiraji horde fielded at least a thousand more. Shandris could see that the battle was lost, her forces doomed if help wouldn't arrive soon. Even if she knew she had done the right decision, she couldn't prevent her mind wandering two days backwards, to the moment when she had ordered the two qiraji to be executed without further questions.

They had claimed to know the qiraji tactics, the strength of their armies and help the elves to try to counter their moves. Even if she still would have done the same decision, she had to wonder if it had been the right one. After all, here she was facing imminent annihilation by the exact same enemies the Unseen had claimed to be able to counter. She didn't trust the villains in the least, only feeling loathing and murderous intent on the insectoid race. Yet, there was a chance that she wouldn't be facing this fate had she chosen otherwise.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud call of horns from behind her. The sound was brought a huge wave of relief flowing through Shandris as she turned to see hundreds of night sabers running through the desert towards the qirajis' rear. The insectoids instantly started to retreat and escape in the face of the imminent onslaught. Shandris' army was in no position to try to stop them and the new group was still many minutes away. The qiraji would be able to retreat without any meaningful resistance.

The Sentinel watched as her troops fired last of their arrow volleys after the retreating horde but to no avail. The qiraji blocked most the arrows with their chelae, disappearing quickly beneath the sand mounds, leaving as quickly as they had come. Shandris felt her hearts sank as she looked at the grounds around her. Everywhere she looked lied dead elves, their faces forever twisted into masks of pain and fear. There were slightly more qiraji than Sentinels but that mattered little. Ahn'Qiraj now fielded a clear numerical advantage over their enemies: anything but a crushing victory for Vordanaar would be an actual defeat. Only half of the recruits she was supposed to bring to the front were alive, with the other half lying on the ground, their bodies broken. She was only starting to contemplate the recent events when a female voice spoke to her as the sounds of the approaching army ended.

"Are you all right, Lady Feathermoon? We saw the villains retreating." The voice was careful but not too concerned. There were more important things to worry about.

"I'm alright but my troops have been battered. I was supposed to bring these poor recruits to the battle but I failed…" Shandris' voice was broken as she answered. The realization that she had failed her responsibility begun to fall upon her.

"This is the way they're bleeding our forces dry. They began to do it soon after your departure. Even then, I'm grateful that you still brought over a hundred recruits here. We will need each of them in the coming days." Shandris felt her heart sink as she heard the other elf's words. If the qiraji were now specified in ambushes and sudden attacks, it would have been an invaluable asset to have someone who knew their tactics at her side. With a dawning horror, the magnitude of her mistake in the Barrens fell upon her mind. In the very worst scenario, that might cost them the war. For now, however, the main concern for her was to survive the campaign. After a moment, she answered.

"You're right. We must help any new groups of recruits from this on. However, if Anachronos doesn't help us, we have little chance for victory." The fact that the bronze dragonflight had declined their call to arms was a heavy blow to the elf war effort and Shandris heavily questioned the chance for eventual victory. The other commander smiled slightly.

"He will, eventually. The qiraji seem to be forcing the dragons' actions soon…

* * *

Danoxx eyed the scenery around him, completely oblivious to the events unfolding further north. Here in the qiraji outpost, hordes of silithid were running here and there, helping in crafting new weapons for their masters as well as expanding their own hives. They were already circling around the qiraji war camp, their purple membranes pushing to the limits of the camp itself. They would soon cover parts of the qiraji tents and most of the ground, slowly transforming the whole outpost into a tiny part of a giant silithid hive.

The High Ambusher shook his head as he looked around him. The atmosphere itself was turning sour, depressing… and threatening. His comrades were no longer who they once were, their companionship slowly turning into violent and submissive struggle for victory at any cost. He had noticed it shortly after his return from the journey that turned out to be Ra'jol's last. It had only worsened since the army's entrance into Tanaris and the imminent collapse of the elven armies.

Before the war, the qiraji and the silithid had been strictly separated, their division being regarded as a division between civilization and useful slaves. Now, however, those barriers were being torn down and the civilization that had once been regarded as a foremost value of the qiraji was clearly be crumbling, being replaced by an all-devouring desire for dominance and dominance.

A group of mountains rose in the eastern horizon, marking the end of the desert and the start of the ocean, as they so often did in southern Kalimdor. Danoxx couldn't help but wonder why they would want to head for them as it was common knowledge that they contained nothing of interest. Rajaxx had been extremely silent about the issue and provided no information concerning it. Whatever their objective, it had to be a highly secretive one. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a familiar choice behind him.

"Danoxx, get to the northern edge of the camp, Skeram himself has a message for us!" Va'rel's voice could suddenly be heard from behind him but it no longer bore any kind of derogatory tone to it. His old rival's sudden friendlier approach troubled him greatly as the sense of common fate seemed to have penetrated the mind of each of the qiraji. It seemed to be hanging in the shadowy air, the sun's rays themselves slowly starting to be swallowed by the prophet's spells. Danoxx had a sick feeling in his stomach at Va'rel's words, having a bad inkling about the meeting's reason.

"I'll be there shortly, Va'rel. None of us have the right to keep the Prophet waiting." Danoxx suddenly felt a flash of pain course through him as he was instinctively prepared to fetch Ra'jol but the knowledge that his last friend wouldn't return filled his mind in a second. All of his comrades were lost to him forever. He might as well go with Va'rel, he figured in deep sadness.

"Or whatever. Let's go." The older High Ambusher said after a short pause. Va'rel looked at him oddly but said nothing. Danoxx took a deep breath as he begun to follow his old rival. He didn't know which hurt him more: the changing landscape or his newfound loneliness and the feeling of utter loss. Had he had someone he could trust, he might have tried to do something to escape this madness but he was beaten. He looked at violent elemental storms batter the dry landscape in Un'Goro's direction. The sight horrified him but he didn't know what to think anymore. As far as Danoxx was concerned, all was lost at this point.

The High Prophet towered over the lesser members of his caste, forming a large semicircle outside the camp. All of the remaining Unseen gathered in it, with a few more arriving at the scene shortly. The qiraji stood close each other even if their few numbers enabled more breathing space. Each of them wore an expression of utter expectation and reverence as they looked at the prophets around them. When the circle was finally filled with the gladiators, Skeram's low, commanding voice rang through the shifting sands of the distressed desert.

"The Creator's faithful servants! Our hour of victory draws near! The group of traitors, the servants of the dark God, have been slaughtered and the elves are in full-scale retreat! Soon, the Creator's banners will be seen in the Thousand Needles, the plains and in Vordanaar itself! Seize this moment to dwell in your divine deeds and feel the glorious future of Kalimdor!" Skeram took a long break, prompting his listeners to close their eyes and feel the moment. Danoxx felt the deep reverence that radiated between every qiraji… except himself.

The High Ambusher looked around him, the revering atmosphere completely lost on the qiraji. Only a deep fear grabbed his heart as he recalled Sirexx's words in Feralas. His prophecy was being fulfilled, with the hour being too late for it to be stopped. With a sickening feeling, he knew that this Black Empire Sirexx had told about was about to return. He could only hope he wasn't there, physically or mentally, to dwell in the ancient horror.

"And now, I will grant you the honor of sharing with you the blessing that has been granted to us, the Protectors and the Battleguards! A touch of our Master's being, a part of his infinite goodness to guide our hearts to perfection! Each of the castes has embraced this gift with deep reverence. Their powers have grown tenfold and they finally see the cosmic truth! Join us, the exalted caste of Unseen! Together, we will build a new world which will be the paradise it was always meant to be!" Skeram's voice was filled with utter devotion, his deep voice ringing through the hills of eastern Tanaris.

Danoxx felt that his chelae hurt from the intense grip he held them in. So this was it. This was the hour of total submission to the Creator's will, the last step Sirexx had warned about. From this day on, there would no longer be Danoxx or Va'rel… only empty husks controlled by the Creator, if the brown qiraji's claim was true.

 _Oh, Sirexx, where are you? Did you reach the place where you were going to? Are you living a better life than me? Or… have you and Ke'nir already joined with Ra'jol? Wherever you are, do what you always did. I… I was too weak to join you… I'm sorry. And Ra'jol… you're lucky that you aren't here._

Danoxx had often wondered what had happened to the two rebels after he parted ways with them for the last time. With any luck, they might have been living in peace in some isolated sanctuary where they could live without this madness. Whatever was their fate, Danoxx felt great pride to have had the chance to guide and help them during their common time together. He sobbed inside as he recalled the days when his squad was still together. He was once again deterred from his thoughts after Skeram continued.

"Move into perfect lines! This glorious moment deserves all the respect you can grant it!" After the Unseen moved into lines, Skeram spoke for the last time before the ritual begun.

"Close your eyes my brave companions! You will close them as lowly servants but when you open them, you will be carriers of divine will, ready to spread righteous judgement upon our enemies. It will be done soon…" Danoxx closed his eyes in unison with his comrades. He no longer had a choice: he had chosen his path and he would have to hope against hope that his judgement had been the correct one. If the ancient prophecies and stories were true, this would be the culmination of millennia of qiraji history. Should Sirexx and Ke'nir be right, however, these would be his very final moments in this world. A single tear flowed from his closed left eye as he prepared for the coming.

The plain became dead silent in a minute, only the quick breaths of the few dozens of Unseen making any noise as all qiraji became silent in mere respect. Slowly, the prophets started to wave their chelae, dark strides slowly starting to flow from the appendages. They slowly tied together, forming a ring around the assembled prophets. Initially only a tiny humming emanated from the dark magic, slowly growing stronger as the ancient power grew I strength. A smirk creeped to Skeram's face, the High Prophet feeling the great victory this day proved to his efforts. After the Unseen, only the gladiators retained their old minds. Within a week, however, that too would change.

Even if Danoxx knew it wouldn't be looked kindly upon, he opened slightly his right eye, looking at the scene unfolding around him. It took real willpower to not shudder as he saw the black strings surrounding him and embracing the crowd within it. From among the darkness, Danoxx saw specters of violet, yellow and green forming in the pools of darkness, the bright colors flowing through it like a rainbow in a rainy sky. The colors rose upwards, high above the assembled Unseen. At this point, the humming had strengthened into an angry roar, a superstitious Unseen likely calling it the angry roar of the past qiraji generations, calling for justice at last.

With a sudden, fearful realization, Danoxx felt his consciousness grow fainter, most of his attention being focused on staying aware of his surroundings. His thoughts were starting to grow numb, as was his actual understanding of the situation. Danoxx felt as if the colors flowing into him from his eyes and nostrils, slowly becoming one with the surrounding darkness.

 _Is this… what I think it is? I can't fight for much longer…_

Flashes of the past flowed through the High Ambusher's mind. His struggles were accompanied by a number of memories, comforting him greatly as his mind failed. His consciousness begun to disappear with a great pride and happiness as the shadow slowly grabbed his mind. Soon, the memories faded, replaced by a silent, cold void. Danoxx's mind would never again remember, feel or return to his body. It was banished into dark reaches of the Nether, in its place only one, chilling thought was left.

 _You have already lost, pawns: all that you have known will follow soon…_

* * *

 **And on this somber note, Treachery Among The Shifting Sands has reached its conclusion. After a year of following our main characters' divergent paths, it's a bit weird to know that my first story is finished. I hope that you enjoyed my take on an untold story during The War of the Shifting Sands, one that could have changed the course of history had the night elves been less vengeful. I'm grateful to everyone who has read this story, especially the ones who have followed or favorited this.**

 **Concerning the future, I'm not completely sure what my next long story is going to be. For now, I'm working on the next installment for the Gang of Five monthly prompt challenge. After that, my main options are probably to move into Land Before Time completely or I might write another story about the World of Warcraft, most likely about the Scarlet Crusade's fight against the Scourge. We'll see.**

 **Once again, thank you for your support with this one! I hope you found "Treachery's" conclusion worthy the main characters' journey and all their struggles. I'd be happy to see you again in the future. Have a great time until then!**


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